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ABCDEF Explained: The Growth Loop That Stops You “Doing Loads” and Still Not Making Money

  • Writer: andy2673
    andy2673
  • Feb 11
  • 2 min read

If you’re busy but not profitable, you’re probably trapped in what I call the illusion of progress.

You’ve got messages, tasks, calls, content, ideas, meetings. The week feels full. And yet the bank balance doesn’t reflect the effort.

The issue is rarely “work ethic”. It’s usually a broken loop.

Most small businesses grow through a cycle. When any part of the cycle is weak, you compensate by working harder - which feels noble but solves nothing.


Here’s the loop: A B C D E F.

A - Acquisition (people find you)

How do new people discover you?

Acquisition can be:

  • organic content

  • SEO

  • referrals

  • partnerships

  • talks and workshops

  • paid ads

If you’re weak here, you feel invisible. You start posting desperately or trying every platform at once.

Simple test: Can you name your top two acquisition channels without guessing?


B - Brokerage (turn interest into conversations)

This is the bit most people avoid: asking for the next step.

Brokerage is:

  • how you respond to enquiries

  • how you qualify someone

  • how you book calls

  • how you lead a sales conversation

Weak Brokerage looks like:

  • you send info and hope

  • you avoid discussing money

  • you over-explain to prove value

  • you let the prospect control the process

Simple test: What percentage of enquiries become a sales conversation?


C - Contracts (set expectations and boundaries)

Contracts means agreement - not just legal terms.

It includes:

  • what’s included / excluded

  • timelines

  • roles and responsibilities

  • what “success” looks like

  • what happens if someone doesn’t engage

Weak Contracts look like:

  • scope creep

  • awkward friction

  • “I thought this was included…”

  • you resenting your own offer

Simple test: Do you have an onboarding doc that prevents 80% of confusion?


D - Delivery (get them results)

This is where your reputation is made.

Weak Delivery looks like:

  • you improvise too much

  • you rely on motivation rather than process

  • results depend on your mood or energy

  • you can’t scale because delivery is chaotic

Simple test: Could someone else deliver your process from a checklist?


E - Extraction (collect cash and protect margin)

Extraction is uncomfortable but essential.

It includes:

  • pricing

  • payment terms

  • chasing invoices

  • managing costs

  • protecting your time

Weak Extraction looks like:

  • you’re “booked up” but broke

  • you discount to close

  • you avoid raising prices

  • you treat money like a taboo topic

Simple test: Do you know your profit margin on your main offer?


F - Feedback (proof and iteration)

Feedback is evidence:

  • testimonials

  • case studies

  • metrics

  • review loops

  • improvements based on reality, not guesswork

Weak Feedback looks like:

  • you don’t ask for testimonials

  • you don’t track what works

  • you repeat mistakes because nothing is measured

Simple test: Do you have 3 specific stories of transformation you can share?


The uncomfortable truth

Most people obsess over A (more attention) when their real weakness is B, C, or E.

That’s a classic form of avoidance: it feels productive to “market”, because you don’t have to face rejection, price, or boundaries.

If you want growth, find the weakest letter and fix that first.


Internal links:


FAQs

  • Do I need all six working at once? No - but you need the loop intact. One weak link leaks growth.

  • Where should I start? Usually Brokerage or Contracts. That’s where money gets lost quietly.


 
 
 

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