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When taking on a doozy of a challenge, like trying to grow a small business, it’s important to have role models. Somewhere you can look and say, “Man, those guys are bringin’ it.” But let’s take a break from the business world, enjoy some fresh air and look at an org that’s been doing it right forever: teamwork legend, the honeybee.

A quick breakdown: At 1/300 oz, the wind from a swat can send a single bee tumbling. (Yeah, it can sting. But unless you’re allergic—meh—you’ll live, unlike the bee.) Yes, no one works harder, but an individual bee is incredibly vulnerable and has very little impact. A hive, however, is a force.

It’s not hard to find inspiration in a hive. Individuals, doing many different jobs, but all with a common goal: survival and growth. Oh, and that single sting I scoffed at earlier—well, an angry swarm on the defensive is another matter.

Think if your small business could run in the same way. Not the stinging part, but having everyone unified and armed with a complete picture of your customers and the common goal of small business growth—no matter if they’re in sales, marketing or customer support. It’s deeper than teamwork. It’s the ability to feel intelligent and that creates the kind of power that you can feel on the inside. And it’s something that customers recognize from the outside, and respond to positively because conversations are relevant and interactions engaging. Talk about creating buzz (couldn’t resist).

So, how is this approach implemented? Well, there’s no magic bullet. But we can offer you a pretty good six-shooter. Watch the “6 Steps to Accelerate Small Business Growth in 2013” webinar, to find quick, concise tips for transforming and aligning your marketing, sales and customer service teams for growth.

During this webinar executives from salesforce.com and HubSpot discuss each of these six steps of how to grow a small businessin further detail. Find out more by watching now.

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Go to "How to Grow a Small Business" infographic.

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