It’s almost that time – the countdown to a new year is officially on. This is the time to reflect on this past year and understand from a business perspective what went well and what you can improve on. It’s the time to create business goals that will give you that extra push towards success.
We’ve put together some tips to consider when setting business goals for 2019.
Don’t just focus on the financials
Yes, your financials are the bones of your success. They are what keeps your business going and the food on your table. It’s important to read your financials, understand them, project them, but there is so much more to your business and building your brand, than your financials. Focus on who you are as a business and what message you are bringing to those around you. How do you want to be seen as a business and what values do you bring to the table.
Pay attention to your surroundings
Times are changing people! More than ever, the competition around us is growing and becoming more and more difficult to keep up with. Pay attention to competition around you and notice the trends that are happening in your area. It’s easy to keep doing what you’ve always been doing, but you need to be proactive with change and move with the pace of the digital world that surrounds you.
Make a goal, to visit your goals
We are so guilty of setting goals and then losing them under the big stack of papers on our desk, never to look back. This is not helpful. Make a goal to visit your goals weekly or monthly. Having a visual of your goals at hand will encourage you to stay on top of what you wanted to accomplish this year. It will be a constant reminder of what you need to get done to be where you want to be.
Try something new
Like we said before, it’s easy to keep the status quo – we get it. But as your business grows, so do you. People, products and trends change frequently, so it’s important to be open to growth and opportunity. Keep doing what you are doing well, but there shouldn’t be anything stopping you from trying something new for you or your business. Create some trial and error experiences to see if there are new opportunities out there that can help your business succeed.
Ask your team
As a business owner, it’s easy to take on the responsibility of making the hard decisions that your business relies on. As the years go by, this has probably become the only way you do things. When you are looking at opportunities for your business, be sure to ask your team what they think or if they have any suggestions on growth for the business. You hired them for a reason and they can add value towards your business. If you are a one wo(man) show, that’s okay – there are tons of entrepreneurs in the community that are happy to help and give you some insight. Rely on those around you to help with difficult decision making.
Reflect on the past year
We get so caught up on making new goals and starting with a blank canvas and that’s okay. It’s important to look forward and create new goals but it’s also important to reflect back. Look back on 2018 and understand what went well and what is showing to be an opportunity. Celebrate the moments where things went well, because those moments contributed to where you are today but understand what didn’t go well and how you can improve or avoid those mishaps going forward.
Set S.M.A.R.T goals
This is a time-old-tale but setting s.m.a.r.t goals is a great way to create goals that are achievable for your business. Specific. Measurable. Attainable. Relevant. Timely. Instead of setting a goal to “make more money in 2019” – focus on a goal that represents the s.m.a.r.t model like “make $500 more weekly in 2019”. With a goal more specific, you can create a clear path and sub-goals to get there easily.
Starting a new year is an exciting time for people and businesses. It’s a time to start fresh and hit the ground running. It opens up opportunity and growth for success. How you set your goals is important and how you manage/monitor them is equally as important. Never lose sight of where you are in completing your goals and ensure your goals are realistic for your business, so that you aren’t feeling let down at the unachievable expectations. Use these tips and tricks to set yourself up in the new year.
If you need help creating goals and staying on top of them in the new year, we’re happy to help! Send us a DM or email us at hello@mintandpoppy.com
Comments