Establishing resolutions for the new year is a great exercise for individuals as it helps to prioritize goals, make positive changes and try something new. Business leaders can also benefit from this goal-setting activity and implement initiates for the year ahead. New year’s resolutions can help build-up business, serve as a reminder about what’s important, and develop new opportunities…to name just a few. Consider these resolutions as you strategize and welcome 2023.
Catch-up with your customers. Whether in person, via email, phone call or by sending a card, the beginning of a new year is a great time to thank customers, share appreciation for their support and send well-wishes for the coming year. Sending holiday cards has been a long-standing business tradition and if your business already does that, great! Even so, consider adding this next layer to your client communications for an extra high-touch impact.
Review your company communications. Evaluate how and how often you’re engaging employees, customers, business partners and prospective customers. Establish a schedule and a standard routine that speaks to both the internal and external brand of your business. For example, monthly internal newsletters and company meetings are a sure-way to keep your employees informed about the business. And, a company newsletter sent regularly every month to customers and prospective customers helps to keep clients connected while also developing new business opportunities.
Evaluate your brand. Review your company’s logo, market positioning, competition and advertising strategy. The new year is the perfect time to consider refreshing your company’s image, approach and unique selling position. If you’re a business with a storefront, invite a fellow business owner to look at your floorplan, review signage, inventory and promotional items. A fresh eye can spark some great enhancements.
Evaluate your website and social strategy. A review of your website is a good practice to conduct regularly. At the new year, take a look at your site or, better yet, ask a team member to review your site who doesn’t typically visit it often. Make sure information is current, pictures and company content are up-to-date, product offerings and pricing are accurate. You may be surprised to see the results.
Review your GOOGLE listing. Check the location information, hours of operation and the other listing content such as your website URL. If a customer is searching for your business, you want to make sure it’s easy to find and the information is accurate.
Consider Work / Life Balance. Becoming burned out is more common as the lines between personal and professional lives have blurred. Work hard when you need to but also practice setting time aside for yourself, family and friends. Delegate. There are only so many hours in a day. An excellent resolution to practice is delegating responsibilities to others. You’ll get more done, improve your work / life balance and help your team members develop their skills.
Give back to the community. Showing your gratitude by supporting local charities or getting involved in a community project or service club is a wonderful way to demonstrate your business’ commitment to philanthropy. It’s easy to support a local food drive, collect clothing for a local shelter or participate in a fundraising event. Also consider becoming a mentor by paying it forward. Establish a mentoring program with a local school or your employees to share your knowledge with the next generation.
While these resolutions are geared toward the challenges of owning / operating a business and the issues we face professionally, they will also impact your personal well-being and could add significant value to the year ahead.
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*Southland Data Processing, Inc. (“SDP”) is not a law firm. This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon in reaching a conclusion in a particular area of law. Applicability of the legal principles discussed may differ substantially in individual situations. Receipt of this or any other SDP materials does not create an attorney-client relationship. SDP is not responsible for any inadvertent errors that may occur in the publishing process.