Small Business Strategy Part 2: Intentionally Do Less

If you’re a business owner wondering why you aren’t seeing the results you crave, it might be time to look at your strategy.

Too often, we think the answer to growth is doing more—taking on more projects, marketing in more places, or saying “yes” to every opportunity. But in reality, success often comes from doing less. By intentionally cutting back on non-essential tasks and focusing on what truly drives growth, you can achieve more in less time.

In this blog, we’ll explore how you can strategically, intentionally “do less” to boost your business’s impact, revenue, and overall success.

What Are You Saying "Yes" To That's Distracting You?

As a small business owner, you’ve probably found yourself saying “yes” to too many things. Maybe it’s new client projects, networking events, or the latest trend in marketing. While it’s tempting to take on every opportunity that comes your way, this often leads to overcommitment. You spread yourself too thin, which distracts you from the tasks that truly move your business forward.

Take a step back and assess what you’re saying “yes” to that might be a distraction. Are you spending time on tasks that don’t directly contribute to your main business goals? For example, responding to non-priority emails, attending meetings that could have been a quick call, or juggling too many small projects that aren’t yielding results.

Hot Tip: Make a list of your daily activities and identify where you can start saying “no,” or even better, say "yes" but delegate it to your favorite VA! This will create more space for you to focus on the work that matters most.

Where Can You Intentionally Do Less?

Instead of constantly adding tasks to your to-do list, consider where you can do less. This doesn’t mean cutting corners—it means being strategic about how you spend your time and resources.

Start by focusing on your business’s core strengths. Where does your business excel? Whether it’s exceptional customer service, innovative products, or standout marketing, you should direct your energy toward the areas where you add the most value.

If you’re spending hours on tasks that don’t align with these strengths, it’s time to scale back. For example, if social media management is eating up your time but not yielding results, consider outsourcing it or reducing the time spent on less effective platforms.

Delegation is another way to strategically do less. Entrepreneurs often feel like they have to do everything themselves, but that mindset can limit growth. Hand off lower-priority tasks to a virtual assistant or use automation tools (like ManyChat!) for repetitive tasks like scheduling or follow-ups. This frees you up to focus on high-value activities that drive your business forward.

Hot Tip: Perform a quick audit of your business operations. Identify tasks that can be streamlined, delegated, or eliminated to free up time for strategic work.

When in Doubt, Focus on Revenue-Generating Activities

If you’re not seeing the success you want, it often boils down to two things: money and impact. To get more of both, you need to focus on activities that generate revenue. What are the tasks in your business that directly lead to making money? These could include things like client meetings, marketing campaigns that drive sales, or product development that solves key customer pain points.

Start by identifying the tasks that actively bring in revenue. These could be sales calls, follow-ups with leads, creating offers for existing customers, or developing new services that address current demand. Prioritize these tasks, because they’re the ones that will help you grow your business.

It’s not just about money, though—it’s about engaging with your ideal clients or customers. When you focus on connecting with your core audience, money and impact tend to follow. Building relationships, improving customer experience, and delivering value should be at the heart of your daily activities.

Hot Tip: Create a “Top 3” list every day with your most important revenue-generating tasks. Complete those first before moving on to anything else.

How to Evaluate Your Marketing Strategy

Sometimes, you’re too close to your business to see where you can scale back. That’s where an outside perspective can be invaluable. Taking a big-picture look at your overall marketing strategy can reveal areas where your time, effort, and money are being wasted.

Are your marketing efforts aligned with your business goals? If not, you’re likely spreading yourself too thin. Consider working with a marketing consultant or coach who can help you identify where to focus your marketing efforts for maximum ROI. Outsourcing this part of your business can be a game-changer, allowing you to invest more energy in core business tasks.

Hot Tip: Schedule a quarterly review of your marketing strategy to eliminate underperforming efforts and refocus on what’s driving results.

In business, doing less can often lead to more. By focusing on tasks that matter most—those tied to revenue, impact, and long-term growth—you’ll streamline your efforts and see better results. Start evaluating your daily tasks and ask yourself: where can I intentionally do less? By cutting back in the right areas, you’ll build a more successful, sustainable business.

Need help figuring out where to scale back? Let’s chat about how you can refocus your marketing strategy for maximum impact.