As we move into another year, this is often a time where we regularly make a pledge to ourselves for the subsequent twelve months. Made with the best of intentions, the New Year’s Resolution is a staple of our early January thoughts and conversations.
What do you want to change about your business this year? To help inspire you to take action, we have compiled this list of potential resolutions which you can use to boost your business in a number of areas.
And just like that, the New Year is here. A fresh start. A blank piece of paper.
Across the globe, many of us are making resolutions for the twelve months ahead – pledges that we hope we will abide by, and that we hope will improve our life and the lives of those around us.
But what do you hope to achieve this year when it comes to your business? Whether you’re a solopreneur who only started their venture last year, or you’re part of an established marketing team in a larger organization, the beginning of the year can provide the catalyst to make lasting changes which can bring opportunity, success and fulfillment.
In this article, we’re going to provide you with a few ideas for your business which may help you to achieve a number of objectives, from increasing your brand’s online presence to building strong connections in your community.
(Full disclaimer beforehand – as many of you who know me will attest, I’ve never subscribed to the theory of New Year’s Resolutions! Regardless of whether it’s a personal target, a family goal or a business objective, you really shouldn’t need to look at an arbitrary date on the calendar to make a change – after all, if you know that something will improve a situation, why should you wait until January 1st? So if, for some reason, you’re reading this in July, don’t hesitate to make a change now if it is right for your business. You can make changes at any time of the year – not only in January.)
Jump to an idea for a resolution for your business:
Resolution for…building community connections
The resolution
Hold a free local event to showcase your product or service.
Why this resolution is important
Over the past couple of pandemic-ridden years, holding community events like this may have seemed like a risky proposition. As we gradually return to normality, the opportunities for face-to-face interaction are increasing. A well-executed local event can help to build strong relationships with potential customers in your area.
How to do it
Use your event to distribute free samples or carry out demonstrations of your product or service. The more interactive you can make this, the better! Think of it as a taster session for your potential clients, where they can learn more about your business and its products. The idea is entice them to come back for more.
If your business doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar store and you’re looking for somewhere to host, reach out to your local Chamber of Commerce. They may be able to connect you with businesses/areas which could be suitable for hosting.
Resolution for…creating brand awareness
The resolution
Create (and stick to) a social media strategy.
Why this resolution is important
Social media isn’t a fad, and it isn’t going away anytime soon. A robust social media strategy will help to increase awareness of your brand and kickstart interactions with your target audience.
How to do it
Even if you think your industry isn’t ‘made’ for social media, you might be surprised at the level of engagement you can achieve. Get creative and think about how you can showcase aspects of your day-to-day work on social channels. Audience research will dictate which channels are likely to be best for your business. You can even use your social media accounts to increase your credibility by sharing details of customer reviews and testimonials.
There are two important things to remember when it comes to posting on social media. Firstly, as we’ve said countless times before, consistency is key. It is preferable to post once a week for eight weeks, than it is to post eight times in one day and never post again. Secondly, don’t feel like you have to be on every social network under the sun. Experimentation is fine, but in the long run, it is better to be active on a couple of social platforms than to be inactive on a dozen.
Resolution for…increasing internal awareness of your marketing activities
The resolution
Hold frequent internal marketing strategy meetings which involve all parts of your organization.
Why this resolution is important
Whether they know it or not, every member of your team is involved in your marketing efforts – either directly or indirectly. Whilst a dedicated marketing team may have the most influence over the marketing activity, it is valuable for every employee to be informed of the overall strategy. This increases employee engagement (and consequently, productivity), in addition to helping staff to convey marketing messages to customers.
How to do it
Schedule a regular meeting to explain the marketing goals and direction for the next month/quarter. The meeting should involve a representative from each team or department in your organization, and they should be led by the person who oversees the marketing direction of your company. Encourage feedback and questions from non-marketing staff members, who may be able to present a layman’s opinions from outside the marketing bubble.
Resolution for…improving local SEO and boosting your reputation
The resolution
Put a process in place for acquiring customer/client reviews.
Why this resolution is important
A glut of five star reviews from satisfied customers is the backbone of your online reputation, and even negative reviews can be turned into positive PR. Reviews form a significant part of algorithms for local search results, and more than that, they can provide useful information for potential customers who may need similar solutions to your previous clients.
How to do it
Make it an important part of your internal processes to check in with your customers after they have made a purchase from you (even before we think about reviews, this step allows you to resolve any problems and demonstrates that customer satisfaction is important to your business). Make it as easy as possible for your clients to leave a review – for example, you can share the direct link to the review section of your Google Business Profile (GBP) or Facebook Page.
Resolution for…giving your business the chance to succeed at marketing
The resolution
Set an appropriate marketing budget for your business – and stick to it.
Why this resolution is important
Obviously, most businesses don’t enjoy spending money. – and in the quest for cost-cutting, marketing budgets can often be the first to fall. But almost every thriving business understands the correlation between marketing success and the overall success of their business – and they also recognize that marketing is not a cost, but an investment for their future success.
How to do it
Every business is unique, so ‘appropriate’ will be different in every circumstance. Conventional wisdom is that businesses should spend between seven and ten percent of their revenue on marketing (the SBA recommends 7-8% if your revenues are under $5 million).
You may have to cut your cloth accordingly, but the important thing is to set a marketing budget that gives your business the chance to succeed and move to the next level. Once you start gaining momentum, you can adjust your marketing budget accordingly to ensure that your business continues to grow. Importantly, resist the temptation to eat into your budget once you’ve set it! Today’s marketing activity will lead to tomorrow’s customers – so slashing your marketing budget will have inevitable consequences for your business as a whole.
Resolution for…telling the story of your business to your audience
The resolution
Create content that goes behind-the-scenes of your business.
Why this resolution is important
Nowadays, more than ever, authenticity is an important trait for a business. We live in a time where customers are smarter than ever, and a smoke and mirrors act will only last so long. It is therefore worth exploring how you can tell your story by breaking the fourth wall and giving your audience an insight into the inner workings of your business.
How to do it
It might be tempting to keep some things from public view (for example, if you handle sensitive information or have a competitive advantage which you don’t want to show to competitors), but think about what you can share to engage your audience.
For example, let’s imagine you own a small business which crafts soaps or candles by hand. Why not produce a video showing each stage of the production process? If you own a restaurant, why not take short videos of food being prepared in the kitchen or talk about how a particular dish is made, which would be perfect for YouTube or even TikTok? There are endless possibilities. Just think about what you do every day (and possibly take for granted), and think about how you can package that to tell not just any story – but your story – to your audience.
Resolution for…making a difference to society
The resolution
Partner with a local non-profit organization to raise awareness of their mission.
Why this resolution is important
There is no shortage of non-profit organizations who make a significant difference in our society. Organizations big and small always need more help – whether that help is financial or volunteer time. If you have a particular cause that you are personally passionate about, you can utilize your business to further the mission of a non-profit which works to raise awareness of that cause.
How to do it
Although there are lots of worthy global and national non-profit organizations, consider how your business can make a difference to your local community by supporting a non-profit in your area. Of course, non-profits always appreciate financial support, but how can you actually use your business to promote their cause? Can you host a fundraising event at your premises? Can you volunteer your time and expertise? The first step is to reach out to non-profits in your locality and find out what help they need, and then tailor your solution accordingly.
In conclusion
Naturally, this list of potential resolutions is not exhaustive – think of it more as inspiration! These are ideas, but your goals should be tailored to ensuring your business continues to thrive – not just because they appeared on this list.
I do have one final suggestion for a resolution – make sure that you don’t set yourself too many resolutions! This is worth remembering on a personal level, as much as for your business goals. Whilst it is nice to be ambitious when it comes to goal-setting, we only have so much time in a day. We have our families, friends, pets, health, and several other things to occupy our thoughts. If you overextend yourself, you risk overwhelming yourself and feeling discouraged. Set yourself two or three larger ambitions you can work towards, rather than a larger number of smaller resolutions.
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