New Year’s Resolutions For A Sales Business

Bizarrely, thanks to the considerable rise in Black Friday shopping, as well as the fact that the Black Friday sales seemed to last for around three weeks this year, for many businesses, the pre-Christmas rush is already coming to a close. Most people are well into their shopping and preparations, and your business may be starting to wind down for the year. 

The quieter period towards the very end of the year is the perfect time to think about how things have gone for your business over the last 12 months and set yourself some goals for the coming year. While your New Year’s resolutions will largely depend on how your business is doing, what stage of growth your business is at, and how this past year went, here is a look at some of the things that you may want to include.

Look At Branding 

When you first started your business, you quickly came up with a logo and started using a few colors that you liked, then stuck with them. But, fashions change. Stop and ask yourself if your branding is still doing its job? Does it clearly define who you are? Does it work with your website design and does it attract customers? If not, don’t just stick with it. Make some changes. 

Sort Your Finances

Cash flow is another thing that we kind of just leave to it. We put money where it needs to be and hope for the best. Make this the year you get to grips with your finances. Understanding money is one of the best ways to ensure you make more of it. Create a cash flow forecast for the year ahead, and take your time to fully understand your finances. 

Be More Productive 

Time is money. The more productive and efficient your business systems are, the more money you will make and the less you will waste. Look at your current systems and find ways to do them better. Some simple things you can do include: 

• Look at your delivery methods. Check out this dimensional weight calculator to ensure you are paying the right fees and using the right services 

• Go green. Save money by making your business more environmentally friendly. To do this, stop printing, start switching off and saving water at least 

• Get the most out of your staff. Look at your own management styles to make sure your staff are motivated to work at their best 

• Learn to prioritize. Write lists, and learn how to make the most of your time 

Look After Staff 

If you employ staff, they are very much the heart of your business. To be truly successful you need to get your staff performing at their best. To do this, make sure they are well trained, have the equipment they need and that you find ways to be more flexible and take care of them. Happy staff will be loyal and hard-working, so it’s worth taking a little more time to ensure they are. Do this through regular meetings and appraisals. 

Save Some Money 

Your business could be wasting huge amounts of money without you noticing. Spend some time at the start of every year checking that you are still getting the best deals on everything. This includes rent, web hosting, supplies, delivery services and utilities. You may be surprised at how much you could save by just making a few small changes. 

Increase Your Online Presence 

The internet is such a massive part of how businesses work and grow today. If you’re not online, no one will take you seriously. And, if you are, you could probably be doing more. Spend some time making a plan of how you are going to increase your online presence in the next year. 

Take a good look at your website and find ways to bring in more traffic. This could be with regular updates, interesting content and up to date designs (think branding again). Then, start building your social media following. The best way to do this is by being an active user. It’s impossible to be online using all platforms, all of the time. So, use a scheduler to help you. 

Digital marketing is a fantastic way to help your business to grow. Make this the year that you finally conquer the internet. 

Know Your Worth 

One problem that many smaller businesses have is not knowing their own worth. They sell products too cheaply, they let people buy advertising space on their sites for next to nothing, and they don't dare to pitch and sell themselves. 

This year, start taking some pride in your business. Know your worth and don’t be afraid to ask for it. 

Make A New Business Plan

Having both long and short-term plans for your business is important. It’s a good idea to have some five-year plans of where you want to take your business. Then, some yearly plans to help you get there. So, make a detailed business plan. Looking at where you want to be at the end of the year, how you are going to get there and any help that you might need to hit these targets. Use this business plan to help set your financial goals and prepare your cash flow forecast. 

Stop Putting Things Off 

This is something that all businesses are guilty of. Especially when we are busy. Putting things off can lead to a loss of growth and money. So, stop it. Whether it's social media marketing or ordering that new software, it shouldn't wait. Don’t put things off next year. Do what needs doing, as soon as you can. 

Remember, when setting New Year’s resolutions, both personally and professionally it’s important to write them down and make a detailed plan of how you will achieve them. This way, you are much more likely to succeed, less likely to forget your goals and you’ll have a record, to hold yourself accountable with when it comes to this time next year, and you are assessing how things have gone. 

Conclusion

Sit down, write a list of targets and then make a detailed plan of how you are going to hit these goals. Take your time; it’s worth doing it right to help you go forward into the New Year with motivation and direction which are both exceptionally important to success.

I hope you enjoyed this article about how to make and follow through on New Year's resolutions for your sales business.

Interested in more articles about growing your sales?

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