New Year’s Resolutions To Help Your Small Businesses Succeed
Be web savvy
Your web presence is an integral part of your business. Start the new year on the right foot by evaluating your website and web presence. Make a list of improvements that can be made. You may even want to overhaul your whole website. Enlist the help of a web designer/developer to help you achieve these goals. Don’t forget to check how you are faring on search results and if needed hire an SEO expert (Search Engine Optimisation) to assist you with reaching the top search results for your industry.
Be even more social media savvy
Social media is an essential part of your digital marketing strategy. Make it a resolution if you haven’t invested in this already. Go where your target market is. Do research on which platforms your audience is most active and find them. Use advanced targeting in your advertising so that you can reach exactly who you need to for a fraction of the cost of print media.
Reach out
If you are feeling uninspired why not reach out to a friend or work colleague to team up and work towards your new year’s business goals together? It’s much easier to be accountable to someone else as you work towards your goals and you can motivate each other. Small business owners are often isolated – make a resolution to join a local business network. This is a good way to exchange ideas and to listen to how other business owners have faced similar challenges.
Get more productive
There are countless apps out there to help you be more productive and organized. From receipt managers to time schedulers, there’s something out there for every business owner. If you aren’t already using services such as WhatsApp or WeChat to create group chats or broadcast lists to your clients then don’t delay, get started! There’s something personal about using these services so ensure that you have permission to send your clients communication via this channel.
Don’t neglect your health
Work/life balance is important. Don’t neglect socializing and timeout. It’s an important part of a healthy lifestyle, just as is looking after your physical needs by going to the gym. Look out for your employees too, if you see them taking strain give them a mental health day off to give them a bit of a break. This applies to business owners too, don’t neglect your mental health. Stress leads to burnout and that’s not where you want to be. Take regular breaks, spend time in nature and don’t forget to book a vacation every now and then. Digital detoxes can also do wonders for your overall wellbeing so try to unplug occasionally.
Have fun!
Why not do something wacky or different with your employees? Go zip lining or on a bread making course. Try a group dance or cooking class. Find something that everyone is keen to do and organize it! It’s a great way to get out of the office and out of the usual day-to-day routine.
Practice gratitude
Successful people tend to stop and focus on things they are grateful for instead of always focusing on the problems they are having. Create a ‘gratefulness’ list that you can refer to from time to time, or create a new list each time. You’ll find your lists will have some commonalities and that some things are present on all your lists. This is a great way to see what’s important to you and gives you direction for where you want to be going forward. A perfect measuring stick.
Invest in some gadgets
Why not invest in some quality gadgets for your business? From noise canceling headphones which are perfect for creating a more peaceful workspace for yourself, to a water purifying bottle you can take anywhere. Be sure to research which gadgets would help to make you and your employees’ lives easier. If you’re buying expensive gadgets don’t forget to get an insurance quote to see what it would cost you to cover the gadget, as insurance is important if it gets lost, stolen or broken. Now go have some fun finding your perfect gadget!
