Tired of resolving to lose weight or exercise more or be nicer to your in-laws? Why not resolve to improve your business in 2013 instead? It might just be easier than you think — especially with these New Year’s resolution suggestions and the free goal setting and action planner download Alyssa wrote about earlier. Now’s the time to prepare to make the most of 2013.
And if you’re serious about hitting your targets, make sure you check out this Small Business Goal Setting Guide to turn your business resolutions into SMART goals.
1. Waste Less
From reducing paper waste to cutting back on electricity consumption, there are lots of steps you can take to make sure your business leaves a minimal impact on the environment. Pick a couple of small goals that you can stick with throughout the year. For example, you could embed scannable coupons or discount codes in your marketing emails that customers can use directly from their mobile devices. Encourage them to pull up the code on their phone or tablet at checkout instead of printing coupons.
2. Start Your Tax Prep on January 1, 2013
Let’s face it; most of us hate taxes because we scramble at the last minute to get all of our receipts and reports in order. This year, take the proactive approach and start your filing, organizing and tracking on day one. Set up a system for filing and recording income and expenditures and stick with it. If you can’t enter the information immediately after a purchase, that’s okay. Set aside a folder to collect receipts and 30 minutes to an hour each week to update your records.
3. Be a More Effective Social Networker
Hopping from social networking site to social networking site without a plan can make you crazy. This year, take a more organized approach. If you’re struggling to maintain a presence on several different platforms, consider stepping back from one or two of the least beneficial sites. This will give your brain a break and allow you to focus on developing and testing your social media marketing ideas.
4. Be Active in Your Real-World Community
Social networking gets all the press these days, but real-life community involvement is a vital part of every small business, too. Whether you sponsor your kid’s spring play or donate your services to a local charity, it’s important to be involved in the things that matter most to you, your friends, and your neighbors. Pick a new cause in 2013 and give it all you’ve got.
5. Work Less
Don’t forget that all work and no play makes you a grouchy, miserable person to be around. Do your family and your employees all a favor and remember to schedule sufficient down time this year. Approaching an acceptable work-life balance could mean no email after 6 p.m. Or it could mean purchasing new software to automate important business processes. Look for ways to get happy in 2013.
6. Grow Your Business
Been thinking about bringing on a new employee? Moving to a larger space? Adding new customers? Whatever your goal, write it down or print it out and post it someplace prominent. Then do it. Challenge yourself and your employees to do something that seems impossible in 2013. And don’t forget to plan your reward for achieving it!
What resolutions will you be making for your small business next year?
