This is a topic I would normally consider to be outside the topic boundaries of this blog.

But it has a lot to do with marketing (and other things) so… what the hell.

This is a question I’ve actually been asking myself about my own company.

Is it possible to double the size of your company in a year, and if it is possible, how do you do it?

First, I would say that doubling the size of your company is definitely possible in one year. It happens quite a bit.

Here is the list of Inc’s top fastest growing companies.

Growing 1000% in a year (not just 100%) is very possible.

So if it is possible then how do you do it?

If you are a new company this article isn’t for you. It’s quite possible you will double your size in one year simply because you are starting from near zero.

My audience is companies like mine. Companies that have been doing OK for multiple years. But have not had a huge jump in growth.

Quite honestly I’m ready to grow.

I’ve spent the last decade learning how to run an agency, how to provide the most effective service for my clients, how to be a business person. Now I’m ready to move.  

It has become very clear in my mind what I want out of my business. I want to be a $3 million company.

I don’t plan on getting there this year. But I see no reason what-so-ever that I can’t be there in 2013 or 2014.

But if doubling your company hasn’t happened in 5 – 10 years what will make this year different?

There’s only one way to do it. Do something you haven’t done so far.

The other thing to remember is to not stop doing what is working up to this point.

I know what has worked up until now for me:

• Blogging
• Videos
• Speaking
• Tweating

I definitely will not stop those things. But I definitely will add to the list.

Over the years I have had the opportunity to work with many different kinds of companies. There is one common trait I have noticed:

Companies are primarily either sales-based or marketing-based. They rarely, if ever, are good at both.

That’s the case with my company. We are marketing-based. We (I) are terrible sales people.

This is a fundamental problem for companies. For my company.

If you get all your new customers strictly from sales or strictly from marketing you are expending too much energy.

You have to work much too hard by not becoming at least adequate at the other discipline.

Sales and marketing are like the ying and yang, ebony and ivory. You need one with the other.

I strongly believe that if you look at your company and can see that you are significantly either a sales-based or marketing-based company, with little capability on the other side you are likely nowhere near as optimal a company as you could be.

Show me a company that is good at both and I’ll show you a company that is successful.

Show me a company that is good at one or the other and I’ll show you a company struggling.

Show me a company that is not really good at either and I’ll show you a company that is in business by mere luck.