Make 2018 rock! Planning for success

With the holiday season upon us and the new year just a hop, skip and jump away, now is the time that many entrepreneurs and small businesses start to think about goals for the new year.  Maybe you are considering expanding your products and services, or perhaps you are looking to hire more creative minds to get your ideas to the top. Either way, planning for success in 2018 is crucial.

During this time of the year, emails are normally at an all-time low, giving you the breathing space you need to plan for the year ahead.  Here are 4 things you should do to make 2018 rock!

Planning for success starts with… a plan

If you’re planning for success you have to have a business plan.  A physical one that is written down and made official.  If you don’t have a business plan, now is the perfect time to get one set up.  If you have a plan set in motion, now is the time to review it and make all the adjustments needed.  This will help you keep focused on key activities that need to be undertaken to bring you success.

Here are some questions to help you get started

• Where is your business financially?
• What are your current and anticipated business expenses?
• Have you met last year’s goals? If not, what stopped you?
• What strengths and successes from this year can you build on for next year?

Look at what is happening around you

After you have reviewed your plan and looked at your own business, you need to start considering any outside factors that might have an impact on your business plan going into the new year.  Economic, political and competitive factors might have a positive or negative effect on reaching your business goals.

Keep up to date with both local and national news, this will help you determine the demand for your product/service you provide, and whether you need to make improvements.  This is also a great time to look at what your competitors again, have a look at their successes or failures and learn from them to help give you the leading edge.  Armed with this information, you can set your business on the path to success.

Hit CTRL+R on your website

Most websites are built when the business is started, but many times the websites are not maintained properly. Your website’s analyics is a great source of information for your company.  It answers questions like:

• Where are your customers coming from?
• What are they looking at?
• What is the conversion level for visitors?

You can answer these questions easily by using free tools such as Google Analytics.  If you haven’t updated your website for some time, now is the time to do it.  Also, integrate Google Analytics so that you can keep up to date with important analytics to understand your customer more.

Take time off and read a book

Time is a precious commodity for all entrepreneurs, so while you have some breathing time over the holiday season, take time to read and broaden your knowledge about your industry or business trends.  This will help you consider the bigger picture, as well as give you some focus as you enter the new year.

The holiday season is the perfect opportunity for you to take the time and step back from your hectic work schedule.  Take this time to assess, adjust and implement new procedures that will help you with your day-to-day management of your business.

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