1 Learn the concept
Businesses grow in stages, and each stage needs a different kind of marketing. A new business needs to be found, a growing one needs to be consistent and a mature one needs to protect and extend what it has built. Knowing which stage a business is in helps you choose the right goals and avoid wasting money on tactics that suit a different stage. This lesson explains what growth means for different businesses and how to choose a growth strategy.
2 See it in action
- Growth means different things: more customers, higher prices, new products or new locations.
- Scaling grows revenue faster than costs. Sustaining keeps a healthy business steady.
- Common channels: referrals, digital marketing and local partnerships.
- Match tactics to stage: early businesses need visibility, later ones need retention.
Worked example
Matching tactics to the stage
Business: a new coffee shop.
Early traction: it fills seats with referrals and local social posts, and tracks how many new customers say a friend sent them.
Growth: with a steady base, it adds a loyalty card and a catering offer.
Expansion: before a second location, it tests which neighborhoods already order from it online.
Takeaway: the goal changed at each stage, so the marketing changed with it.
3 Study an example
Example scenario
A new coffee shop focuses on referrals and local social posts to fill seats. A year later, with a steady base, it adds a loyalty card and a catering offer. The marketing changed because the business's goal changed.
4 Apply it and download
- Decide which growth stage a business you know is in.
- Choose one goal and two channels that fit that stage.
- Complete the growth strategy worksheet.
Worksheet Growth strategy worksheetOpen, print or save as PDF