At the time of writing, another year is nearly over.
How was it for you?
We hope you had an excellent year in business, and that the goals you set at the start of the year were successfully met. But as you wind down ready for the Christmas break, think back over the last year. Pat yourself on the back for everything that has gone well, but if anything hasn’t gone to plan, consider how you might do things differently next year. And as you think of the new year, think about the important goals you are going to set. How can your business develop? How can you increase your profits? What goals can you set to lead you to success?
To help your thinking, we have some business goals in this article that may be useful to you. Consider our ideas as you plan, and use them to kick start your business towards success in the year ahead.
Business Goal #1: Improve your work-life balance
How are you feeling? Tired? Exhausted? Burned out and desperate for a holiday? We get it, we really do. Running a business is tough, but you can make life easier for yourself next year. Perhaps it’s time you delegated more, so consider handing over some of your responsibilities to your team, or think about outsourcing more. By doing so, you will have a healthier work-life balance, as you may be able to spend more time at home doing the things you enjoy and have more energy to do them. Put this goal into action early on in the year as this will serve you well in the weeks and months to come. The less tired you are, the happier you will be, and that can only be good news for your business.
Business Goal #2: Promote your business more
Marketing your business should also be at the top of your priorities, so consider how you can do more to get word out about your business. Could you appeal to a new demographic? Could you do more to attract past customers? Think about it, and then consider your budget. While you can market your business for free through your website and social media, you might want to apportion parts of your budget into the varying types of marketing methods at your disposal, including print and media marketing. Whether you use your in-house team and/or use the services of media marketing professionals, of which you can find out more here, spend money in those areas that will boost your business to the right people. This is also an excellent time to refresh your brand and push new promotions, both of which will aid your marketing efforts in the new year.
Business Goal #3: Increase your learning
Do you lack in any area of business? Would a new skill or qualification be useful to you? Look at the courses available to you, be they online or at a local college, and book yourself onto something that is going to add this extra dimension to your life. And do the same for your team. If there are any improvements to be made in any aspect of your business, bringing in a training provider to work with both you and your team is a very good idea. Skills will be learned, morale will be boosted, and productivity will be increased.
Business Goal #4: Meet new people
A common goal for many at the start of a new year, and one that may be imperative for your business, finding ways to meet new people should be something you seek to do. Find ways to network with other business professionals, meeting those people who will both support you in business, and give you new ideas to work with as you go through the year. Find ways to meet new customers, reaching out to new markets to promote your business. And look towards meeting new people in your personal life, improving your work-life balance by making friendships that will help you to relax and unwind outside of work hours.
Business Goal #5: Give something back to the community
Many of your new year goals are entirely selfish, but there are some of us who want to do more for the people around us. It’s about getting that personal reward, ensuring that our lives stand for something above and beyond our own inward desires. In business, this works twofold. By doing something for your community – giving to a charity, supporting a local cause, volunteering your time – you will not only get that personal satisfaction from doing something good, but you will also grow goodwill towards yourself and your business.
Business Goal #6: Buy something new
Thinking about your personal life, there are probably all kinds of things you would love to add to your home in the new year. A 4K television? New furniture? A home extension? Yes, please! But what about your business? Is there anything that will make your life easier, and benefit your business? You might buy a new computer, for example, especially if your current model is dated and slow. You might want to invest in new office furniture to both improve comfort and morale in your workplace. Or you might want to buy new software, anything that will make light work of some of your complicated business tasks. Think carefully, and if you need to start saving up to buy that ‘new’ something, then ensure this is a goal you set at the start of the year.
Business Goal #7: Have a greener philosophy
Going green is good for your business. You will a) save money, b) encourage goodwill from your staff and customers, and c) do your bit to save the world! If you have been slow to go green thus far, perhaps this new year is the right time to implement new policies within your business. There are some ideas here, so take a look, and make an impact on both your business and the world around you in the coming year, and in all the years ahead of you.
We hope these ideas were useful to you, but let us know what you think. And share your own new year goals with us too. By committing to them in the year ahead, you should hopefully achieve a greater level of success within your business.
We hope you have a fantastic and profitable year ahead of you!
Featured image (flickr)