As we enter the last three months of the year and come out of summer, you might find your founder looking to generate short-term cash flow to make up for slower summer revenue or to hit financial targets for the year.
This year has seen a lot of changes in buyer behaviors, and figuring out what's working has felt like a moving target for many small businesses in the coaching, consulting, and service-based space.
As the operational leader, you play a critical role in making sure the strategies your founder implements are well-supported by efficient systems and processes.
While short-term injections of cash into the business are valuable and sometimes necessary, it’s important to remind the founder to maintain a balance of short-term and long-term strategies for sustainable success.
You can help by ensuring that the operations side of the business is running smoothly, even as you execute these fast-moving tactics.
Here are 12 actionable strategies that can help boost revenue, along with how you can support their execution:
1. Offer Limited-Time Promotions
Limited-time promotions create urgency by offering exclusive deals on high-value programs or services for a short period.
These promotions tap into the psychology of scarcity, driving potential clients to get off the fence and act now.
My favorite types of promos are ones where you offer bonuses instead of discounts.
How You Can Support:
As the operational leader, ensure backend systems are ready for a surge in demand.
Coordinate with marketing to set clear start and end dates for the promotion, and make sure the conversion process is seamless.
Implement automation tools to track promotion performance and manage upsells. For example, if offering a special discount, make sure there’s a strategy in place for backend upsells or cross-sells after the initial purchase.
Additionally, confirm that support is ready to handle inquiries related to the promotion. Having a smooth system in place ensures the client experience remains positive even with the increased demand.
2. Pre-Sell Future Programs and Services
Pre-selling a future program, course, or service is an excellent way to bring in cash upfront. It’s also an excellent way to validate market interest and secure early buy-in.
This works especially well when combined with #1, offering a limited time bonus or beta pricing to be the first to join something new.
How You Can Support:
Coordinate the logistics of the pre-sale, including payment processing and delivery timelines.
You’ll also need to manage communication with clients, setting clear expectations for when they’ll receive access to the product or service they’ve purchased.
If you're pre-selling a course or service, ensure that systems are in place to deliver bonus content or early access features to those who buy in advance.
Make sure pre-sales are tracked carefully so that you can adjust messaging or offers if demand is lower than expected.
Managing these details gives the founder confidence to move forward without getting bogged down in operational execution.
3. Offer VIP Days or Intensives
VIP Days or intensives are high-ticket, high-value ways for the business to generate immediate cash flow without the long-term commitment of recurring services, while delivering quick results to clients.
These are a go-to strategy that works well for both the client and the business.
How You Can Support:
As an operational leader, handle the logistics such as scheduling, client onboarding, and setting up any materials the founder needs for the VIP Day.
You should also create a structured process for post-event follow-up, which can lead to additional services or ongoing relationships.
Consider automating client feedback and testimonial requests after each VIP Day to improve the experience and capture social proof for future promotions.
Ensure all the necessary tools, platforms, and communications are in place to deliver a seamless experience from start to finish.
4. Bundle Services or Create “Done-for-You” Offers
Bundling services or creating “done-for-you” (DFY) solutions increases the perceived value of your offerings and often encourages higher investment from clients.
DFY services are particularly attractive to clients who want quick, actionable solutions without having to implement everything themselves.
How You Can Support:
Help the founder design packages that offer real value without overwhelming the client.
Ensure the team can deliver each component of the bundle efficiently, and that the client onboarding process clearly communicates what they’re receiving and when. This may mean developing systems or training the team so they are ready to deliver.
You’ll need to track each service within the bundle and ensure that timelines are met for each piece of delivery.
One word of caution - avoid “bonus stuffing” where too many extras are added to an offer without real value. Clients want simple, clear solutions, not more things to do.
5. Run a Paid Workshop or Webinar
Paid workshops or webinars provide a quick way to generate revenue while simultaneously building the client pipeline.
They offer valuable content for a fee, with an upsell to higher-tier services at the end of the session.
It should solve a problem, ideally a micro-problem that will be a quick win for those who attend, even if they do not take the next step.
How You Can Support:
Set up and manage the technical aspects, including registration, payment processing, and video conferencing.
The operational side needs to be seamless, from the landing page to the follow-up emails.
Ensure that there are no technical glitches that could affect the client experience.
Once the workshop is over, automate follow-up emails that include the upsell offer to move participants into higher-tier services.
If you’re offering downloadable resources or templates during the workshop, ensure that these are prepared and easily accessible for attendees.
6. Introduce Payment Plans for Higher-Ticket Offers
Offering flexible payment plans can make high-ticket offers more accessible to clients who may not be able to afford the full price upfront.
This strategy allows you to capture business while spreading out payments over a few months.
How You Can Support:
Set up a reliable system to manage payment plans.
This includes automating reminders, tracking payments, and following up with clients if a payment is missed.
If your founder doesn't want to handle the risk of non-payment, explore third-party solutions like AfterPay or Klarna, which can manage the payment plans on their behalf.
Make sure you communicate the terms of the payment plan clearly to clients upfront to avoid confusion or disputes down the line.
7. Offer Upsells and Cross-Sells to Existing Clients
Selling additional services or upgrades to your existing client base can provide a quick revenue boost.
Upselling and cross-selling to clients who already know and trust your business is often easier and faster than acquiring new clients.
How You Can Support:
Analyze client data to identify those who are most likely to benefit from an upsell or cross-sell.
Automate outreach to these clients with targeted offers.
For instance, if a client purchased a lower-tier service, offer them an exclusive upgrade to a higher-level package or VIP experience.
Ensure your CRM is updated to track which clients take advantage of these offers so you can follow up accordingly and tailor future offers to their needs.
8. Add Digital Products or Templates
If your business already has valuable resources like templates, guides, or checklists, these can be packaged into digital products and sold at scale.
Digital products require minimal ongoing effort once created and can generate passive income.
Please note that passive income isn't really all that passive - you still need to market and sell them...
But especially if you already have a large audience, it can help to have an on demand offer ready to buy that seems like a no-brainer. And it acts as a great top of funnel purchase if doing paid ads or media.
How You Can Support:
Ensure that the purchase and download process is automated and frictionless.
You’ll need a clear system for delivering digital products immediately upon purchase, as well as tracking inventory and sales performance.
If the business uses a platform like Kajabi, you can take advantage of built-in download features to simplify fulfillment.
9. Offer Referral Incentives
Implement a referral program to reward current clients or network partners for bringing in new business.
This is a low-cost, high-reward strategy, as referrals are often highly qualified leads with a higher likelihood of converting.
How You Can Support:
Create and manage a referral tracking system.
This can be as simple as a spreadsheet or as advanced as an affiliate portal within your CRM or payment platform.
Decide whether to offer financial rewards, bonuses, or exclusive services for successful referrals.
Ensure the referral process is clear and easy to follow, and automate communications with those making referrals, so they are updated when new clients sign up.
10. Coordinate Affiliate or Collaborative Partnerships
Partnering with complementary businesses can provide a quick influx of cash.
For example, a business coach could partner with a marketing expert to co-host a webinar, or offer a joint program that bundles services from both companies.
How You Can Support:
Manage the logistics of the partnership, including how revenue and responsibilities are shared.
Set up systems to track affiliate commissions or the split of profits.
Ensure that any shared promotional materials are aligned with both brands and that any client communications (e.g., onboarding, support) are clear.
Having a solid partnership agreement in place will help avoid misunderstandings and ensure smooth collaboration.
11. Get Paid Speaking Engagements
Speaking engagements provide not only a platform for lead generation but also a direct source of revenue when founders charge for speaking.
Paid speaking engagements at conferences and workshops can lead to new clients but so can the right free opportunities like podcast interviews or speaking engagements that allow you to sell from the stage, in person or virtual.
How You Can Support:
Handle the logistics of scheduling, contracts, and travel arrangements for the founder’s speaking engagements.
If the engagement is unpaid, ensure there’s a clear strategy for lead generation or product sales following the event.
If the founder is selling from the stage, make sure there’s an efficient system for processing purchases or capturing client information for follow-up.
12. Create and Sell a Certification Program or Course
If the founder is an expert in their field, developing a certification program or specialized course can generate significant revenue.
Certification programs often command higher prices due to their perceived value and can position the business as a leader in its niche.
While developing something new could be an effective long-term strategy, adding a certification to an existing program is a great short-term strategy.
How You Can Support:
Coordinate the development of the course, ensuring all content is structured, accessible, and easy to deliver.
Leverage the course materials to develop exam questions. AI can simplify this process.
Manage enrollment and payment systems, and track participant progress.
If offering a live component, handle scheduling and communication with attendees to ensure they stay engaged.
If a certification component is added, make sure there’s a system in place to manage assessments, credentials, and ongoing support for participants.
In Summary
As the operational leader, your role is to ensure that the backend systems are ready to support any strategies your founder wants to implement. From limited-time promotions to payment plans or speaking engagements, the key to success is having a well-structured plan and efficient processes in place.
By keeping systems streamlined and processes optimized, you can help the founder focus on revenue generation while you handle the logistics. This teamwork ensures the business can handle increased demand while maintaining a high level of service.
Wondering where to start? Keep it simple and pick one or two strategies to focus on, then build out from there.
Which strategy are you going to support your founder in driving revenue for Q4?
by Crista Grasso
Crista Grasso is the Founder of the Strategic Ops Institute andĀ theĀ Lean Out Method, and host of theĀ Lean Out Your Business Podcast. She specializes in training and certifyingĀ exceptional Operational Leaders to become Strategy + Operations Leaders (SOLs) and become experts at simplifying, streamlining, and sustainably scaling businesses.
