Delivering sustainable top line growth

A CEO’s number one concern more often than not is how to sustain or accelerate their company’s top line growth – it’s what drives value for shareholders and investors, and enables greater investment in people and product.

A backdrop of rising interest rates, labour and supply chain costs, geopolitical uncertainty and the trailing effects of the pandemic – felt by businesses and their customers – only serves to emphasise the achievements of the companies in this report.

Some of the biggest and most successful brands in the world are reporting a decline in revenues and associated losses. Yet there are shining examples of businesses here in the North that are defying the odds and delivering sustained top line growth.

So what are they getting right?

Absolute clarity around what they are selling and who they are selling it to – designing that proposition around their ideal customer, their wants, needs and pain points. Because to stand out in a challenging economic climate requires a compelling, customer-centric proposition, and a team – from senior leadership to the sales team on the ground – that is singing from the same hymn sheet.

Yes, there are business types and sectors that have enjoyed some tailwinds in this period, but top line growth invariably goes hand-in-hand with understanding the value you bring to your customers and the business challenge(s) you help them solve.

While the prospects for economic growth appear to be stabilising – if not improving – those businesses that continue to put the customer at the centre will almost certainly win.

Natalie Dodd
Strategist, MC2