11 Best Tips To Grow A Multimillion-Dollar Business

(Forbes Agency Council) Building a successful business and taking it over the million-dollar revenue mark and beyond is no easy feat. While the internet is full of advice on how to grow a startup into a multimillion-dollar business, new agency owners should keep in mind that no two companies are the same and that what works for most may not necessarily work for all.

One thing most business mentors and gurus agree on, however, is that no business can hit the million-dollar mark and go beyond it without hard work, a smart strategy and laser-sharp focus. Pair these features with a strong partnership and a capable, engaged workforce and you get a sure recipe

for success. Below, 11 members of Forbes Agency Council offer their best tips on how a business can become successful and eventually start raking in millions in revenue.

1. Find A Unique Problem And Focus On Solving It

Pick an advertiser/industry which has a unique problem. Focus on solving that problem better than anyone else through innovation. Create your brand and pitch centered around your innovation. - Harish Narasimhan, Adcuratio Media Inc

2. Keep An Engaged Workforce

Even as a small business, your culture will make or break you. An engaged, passionate team who feels that they are part of your journey will be your key to success. When employees feel connected and have a sense of ownership, they will be more driven and engaged. And an engaged workforce will lead to a better performing business. - Nicole Dorskind, ThirtyThree

3. Create The Right Systems And Processes

You can't build a sustainable seven-figure business without creating effective systems and processes. Create systems that allow you to delegate, outsource, and hire a team to execute on a day-to-day business. This frees you up to focus on big-picture strategic objectives that drive the growth of your business. - Daniel Decker, Spotlight Branding

4. Stay In Selling Mode

Never take your foot off the “selling” gas pedal. I’m not only referring to specific lead generation and business development outreach. All employees should be networking and maximizing their contacts. Incentive programs that compensate and/or bonus employees that contribute to the agency’s selling efforts are huge. - Andrew Fegley, Remarketable

5. Learn How To Say No

One of the first pieces of advice I would give is to learn to say no to clients who don't have the right budget, are too demanding, or act like everything is owed to them. It's tough to say turn down clients at the beginning, especially when you need that money. But by saying no, you'll be able to focus on clients that can help you reach your goals. - Rudy Abitbol, Altima

6. Think About Scale

An important tip is to always think about scale. Automate where you can and outsource what's not absolutely core to your business. - Gavin John, StoneShot Inc

7. Focus On Value

In order to charge what you're worth, you have to understand what value you're bringing to your clients. At the end of the day, businesses exist to make money, and agencies exist to help businesses achieve that goal. Answer the question, "What value can I create for this client?" and you'll be able to charge what you're actually worth more confidently. - Danny Cox, Blue Truck Studios

8. Develop Partnerships

What helped us get over the one-million dollar mark as a new business was partnerships. We partnered with companies in a non-competitive business and gave them referrals for free. After a while, they started to return the favor. - Jessica Gonzalez, InCharged

9. Create Your Own Opportunities

Don't just wait for pitches, create your own opportunity. How? By looking deep into your prospective client's business and identifying the opportunities for growth. Then, take those opportunities and turn them into projects -- perhaps a research study, a workshop, even a small trial campaign. You are aligned with your client from the very beginning and can “sell” without selling. - Benny Thomas, Barrie D'Rozario DiLorenzo

10. Learn From Your Clients

Embrace the fact that you will learn as much from your clients as they will from you -- both about running your business and about improving your services. - Beth Noymer Levine, SmartMouth Communications

11. Invest In Your People

It's that simple. Agencies are service businesses and those services are provided by people. So get the best people, give them the best training and engage them in providing the best possible service to your clients. You can't grow if you don't retain your clients. It's OK to have a slower onboarding of new clients as long as you retain them. - Adam Stone, Octane Marketing