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So this is a bit late, but what the hell! So the new year is here and I bet you made tons of different resolutions for yourself. But what about your business? If you don't already write business plans, you need to. And it you already have your business plan in place, I just want to make sure you and examining these different areas. What resolutions have you made and what are you going to do differently? What planning have you done? Let me give you some suggestions...
1. Your Money!
LOOK AT THE NUMBERS. As small businesses (you can make a lot of money and still be a small business), we are all looking to save money wherever we can. It is time to ask some questions...
If you rent a space, can you get somewhere cheaper?
Can you bring down your marketing budget?
Are you happy with any service providers you use?
My suggestion:
Look at any area you spend money and make sure it is necessary and also look at where you can cut costs.
2. Your Team!
Questions to ask yourself:
Are you happy with your team? Do your employees have what they need to get the job done? Do they have the right amount of support? Even if you are a solopreneur, you probably have an accountant, a bank you use, and maybe even a lawyer. Are you happy with their services? Do you feel like they are doing the best they can for you? Are they way too expensive?
My suggestion:
Make sure you like the people working for you. Don't go into the new year being frustrated withe same people from last year.
3. Your Services and/or Products!
Questions to ask yourself:
What are you selling out of? What isn't selling at all? If it has been a year and you see no one has bought a certain product of yours, don't let it sit there. Let it go! It's good to mix things up and let go of things that aren't working.
My suggestion:
While of course your going to have new and awesome products and services, make sure you are sprucing up your most popular products and making them the best they can be (also, if you selling out of a certain thing ALL THE TIME and spending a lot of time on it, you might need to give yourself a raise).
4. Your Advertising and Social Media!
Questions to ask yourself?:
Are you getting a return on the advertising your currently doing? Are you reaching the clients you want to serve? Are you spending no money where you want to spend it? How is your social media game? Are you posting regularly? Are there avenues of social media you hate having to post on to?
My suggestion:
Really research before you put money into advertising. If you have a business which is local, you might want to advertise in local papers and fairs more. Word of mouth works really well for local businesses. If you have a strictly online service, you want to make sure your really up on you social media. Feeling overwhelmed by the internet? Make sure you are only doing social media sites that you actually like. If you hate Facebook, give it up. Why? Because your clients/customers will take note. Don't do anything if your going to half ass it. Also, to help you, pick a day of the week to sit and plan out your internet presence throughout the week. Using a program like Hootsuite will help you relieve that social media stress.
5. Your Classes/Events/Education/Speaking Engagements!
Questions to ask yourself:
What classes do I want to teach? Where am I teaching them? What speaking engagements do I plan on doing? Am I doing any free classes?
My suggestion:
Plan everything in advance. Of course sometimes it's difficult because if you are participating in someone else's event you might not now when it is, but try your best. When you have deadlines and know when things are going to happen, it's easier to be prepared. Also, look at trends from last year. By this I mean, if you don't know how many events to do, or when, look at what happened the year before and start planning from there.
6. Your Collaborations!
Questions to ask yourself:
Who have you wanted to work with? Who have you wanted to interview?
My suggestion:
ASK! I'm telling you, when it comes to wanting to work with people you admire, as long as you ask them nicely and not is a sleazy way, most of the times they will talk to you. Many of the people who are your peers in the industry know that working together is better than working against each other.
7. Your Clients!
Questions to ask yourself:
Am I getting the clients I want? Am I doing the best I can for my clients? Am I treating them like superstars?
My suggestion:
Why don't you ask your clients! Send out a survey or have a candid conversation with your clients asking what your doing right and what could be improved.
These are some of the most important things you may want to consider for your business this new year. Do you have anything else? Let me know!!!
1. Your Money!
LOOK AT THE NUMBERS. As small businesses (you can make a lot of money and still be a small business), we are all looking to save money wherever we can. It is time to ask some questions...
If you rent a space, can you get somewhere cheaper?
Can you bring down your marketing budget?
Are you happy with any service providers you use?
My suggestion:
Look at any area you spend money and make sure it is necessary and also look at where you can cut costs.
2. Your Team!
Questions to ask yourself:
Are you happy with your team? Do your employees have what they need to get the job done? Do they have the right amount of support? Even if you are a solopreneur, you probably have an accountant, a bank you use, and maybe even a lawyer. Are you happy with their services? Do you feel like they are doing the best they can for you? Are they way too expensive?
My suggestion:
Make sure you like the people working for you. Don't go into the new year being frustrated withe same people from last year.
3. Your Services and/or Products!
Questions to ask yourself:
What are you selling out of? What isn't selling at all? If it has been a year and you see no one has bought a certain product of yours, don't let it sit there. Let it go! It's good to mix things up and let go of things that aren't working.
My suggestion:
While of course your going to have new and awesome products and services, make sure you are sprucing up your most popular products and making them the best they can be (also, if you selling out of a certain thing ALL THE TIME and spending a lot of time on it, you might need to give yourself a raise).
4. Your Advertising and Social Media!
Questions to ask yourself?:
Are you getting a return on the advertising your currently doing? Are you reaching the clients you want to serve? Are you spending no money where you want to spend it? How is your social media game? Are you posting regularly? Are there avenues of social media you hate having to post on to?
My suggestion:
Really research before you put money into advertising. If you have a business which is local, you might want to advertise in local papers and fairs more. Word of mouth works really well for local businesses. If you have a strictly online service, you want to make sure your really up on you social media. Feeling overwhelmed by the internet? Make sure you are only doing social media sites that you actually like. If you hate Facebook, give it up. Why? Because your clients/customers will take note. Don't do anything if your going to half ass it. Also, to help you, pick a day of the week to sit and plan out your internet presence throughout the week. Using a program like Hootsuite will help you relieve that social media stress.
5. Your Classes/Events/Education/Speaking Engagements!
Questions to ask yourself:
What classes do I want to teach? Where am I teaching them? What speaking engagements do I plan on doing? Am I doing any free classes?
My suggestion:
Plan everything in advance. Of course sometimes it's difficult because if you are participating in someone else's event you might not now when it is, but try your best. When you have deadlines and know when things are going to happen, it's easier to be prepared. Also, look at trends from last year. By this I mean, if you don't know how many events to do, or when, look at what happened the year before and start planning from there.
6. Your Collaborations!
Questions to ask yourself:
Who have you wanted to work with? Who have you wanted to interview?
My suggestion:
ASK! I'm telling you, when it comes to wanting to work with people you admire, as long as you ask them nicely and not is a sleazy way, most of the times they will talk to you. Many of the people who are your peers in the industry know that working together is better than working against each other.
7. Your Clients!
Questions to ask yourself:
Am I getting the clients I want? Am I doing the best I can for my clients? Am I treating them like superstars?
My suggestion:
Why don't you ask your clients! Send out a survey or have a candid conversation with your clients asking what your doing right and what could be improved.
These are some of the most important things you may want to consider for your business this new year. Do you have anything else? Let me know!!!