The goal of any business is to grow.

But if you’re a small business owner, solo entrepreneur, or freelancer, how do you do this?

Even if your customer base and demand suddenly expands, how can you keep up?

There are 3 keys to growing your business without needing to invest a great deal in facilities or employees.

These are my favourite techniques that any business, big or small, can use to scale up.

It’s about working smarter, not harder.

1. Save Time with Automation

There are automation tools for almost every task a business does.

Automation allows you to take repetitive tasks that drain your time and let a computer program handle them for you.

One other reason to entrust a computer is to reduce human error.

For example, accounting tasks that involve crunching numbers are great to automate.

Start with the simplest, most repetitive tasks first.

Look for automation tools that can perform these tasks for you.

Choose a few to research and read reviews.

Start with free tools to save money and take advantage of free trials if you’re considering premium programs.

Automate one task at a time and then move on to the next.

2. Delegate to Your Team

You don’t have to do everything yourself.

Even if you have just a few team members, don’t be afraid to delegate tasks they can do for you.

This gets the task off your schedule and also enriches your employees by teaching them new skills.

Look at tasks that don’t necessarily need to be performed by you.

For example, are you checking social media every day and responding to comments and shares?

You could probably train an employee who understands your brand and company well enough to do that for you.

Take a task you think you could delegate and consider which of your employees might be a good candidate.

Training takes time.

You’ll need to show them how to do it.

Then check to make sure they’re doing it right.

Be ready to assist if they have problems or questions.

3. Start Outsourcing

Whether you have a team or not, you can outsource tasks to someone outside your organization.

Many freelance workers and service providers are offering various types of help online, so it’s easy to use the Internet to find someone suitable.

Try sites like Fiverr.com, Freelancer.com and Guru.com

Outsourcing helps you get tasks off your to-do list, but it offers an even more important benefit.

There may be some tasks an outside service provider could do better than anyone in your organization.

Think about tasks such as graphic design, programming, or content writing.

You can very often hire top quality people for these tasks, only when you need them.

You can find them through web search, social media, or the freelance service websites above.

But the best help comes from referrals.

Ask business partners and associates if they have anyone they can recommend first.

When is the Right Time?

The right time to start automating, delegating, and outsourcing is right now.

Don’t wait until you feel you need it.

This will make your business run smarter right now, and when it’s time to scale, you can scale up smoothly.