What are Your Business Goals for the New Year?
As we enter into the new year, many are taking a deep breath in hopes this year is better, all around. And like many new years, you may be making a new year resolution list. However, have you ever considered making a new year resolutions list for your business? What are your business goals for next year? Do you have a general outline on how you would like to see your business improve in the new year. Check out these tips to help you get started.
Small and Big Business Goals
Your business new year resolutions should include both small goals and big goals. Like your personal list, you want goals that you can achieve quickly to create momentum. In many cases, that momentum is necessary to achieve your big goals – your long-term goals.
First, decide on a couple of BIG long-term goals for your business. Here are a few ideas…
- Double the number of customers that you have: Easier said than done of course. But if you break it down, can you achieve it? How would you achieve it and where would you focus? Can you accomplish it through advertising or marketing? If so, start looking into advertising campaigns targeted at increasing customers.
- Increase sales by 10%: How do you go about it? Is it the same marketing and advertising strategy as doubling the customers or is it different? Maybe you can focus on your existing customers for this one. Send promotional materials to them instead of trying to gain new customers.
- Create and market a new Website: If this is one of your goals for the next year, then what does it entail? Will it be an entirely new website for your company or perhaps a website dedicated to a specific product. Break it down into research, copywriting, designing, etc.
- Launch a new Product: If your goal is to launch a new product, then what are the milestones to launch? Have you market tested your product? Have you set up product manufacturing and distribution?
- Redesign or update your Branding: Perhaps this is the year for a new look for your company. If so, start looking into different branding options. Have a new business logo created, or a new website.
Now decide on maybe one or two of these BIG business goals to really focus on. For example maybe I will choose “Create and market a new website” as one of my main goals. Now create a list of smaller business goals that you can pile up toward your BIG business goals. Some of the things that may help achieve this specific goal may be things like…
- Research different website building companies
- Look around at websites that in the same industry as yours and figure out what you like and dislike about them
- Hire a photographer to take photos of your business or products for the website
- Come up with content for the website
- Look at different advertising and marketing strategies to promote your new website
- Let your existing customers know about your new website by sending out a text or email notification
Make it a team activity & Undiscovered Talents
Don’t leave out your office staff! Creating business goals for the office won’t be complete if you do not have everyone’s insight. This is a great end of year activity that also allows your team to be on the same page. When everyone is working towards the same goals, you will be likely to reach them faster. Make room for everyone to bring an idea to the table and you will end up with a great list of potential improvements.
You can implement these ideas across staff in the next few months.
Also, learn more about your current workers and staff? Maybe you are not utilizing them to the fullest. What are each staff members strengths and weaknesses? Perhaps you didn’t know that your office assistant also has a degree in graphic design. Don’t let these undiscovered talents go to waste! Put her to work on designing some ideas for the new website.
Maybe you didn’t know that a member of your sales team is also an online marketing specialist. Adapt his role and put it to use toward your goals. He will probably appreciate that you recognized his other skills and put them to work!
Bring your Business Goals to Life
Making a list is only the first step. You and your team need to also to identify action steps and milestones. What will you do, both individually and as a team, to reach those goals? When will you aim to complete them. Consider your new year resolutions an outline and your action steps the necessary directions. This will ensure your staff are working toward a cohesive goal.
Mainly, just get organized. Come up with a detailed plan to implement smaller goals over the next year. Before you know it, you will have knocked them all out and accomplished your BIG goal as well!
