As 2014 draws to a close, I am energised by the thought of a new year just around the corner. A new year brings with it challenges and opportunities. It also provides a moment to pause and reflect on what worked well in the year that has past and make plans for what need to be improved or changed in the year ahead. The end of the year is a special time for two reasons. I look forward to spending time with my family and friends. I also enjoy having the time to reflect on lessons learned, successes and mistakes made and plan what I will change moving forward.
This final blog for the year recaps some of our posts regarding business growth.
Spring clean your business
A New Year gives an opportunity to reflect on lessons learned over the year that has past. I am always excited by the fresh start that comes with returning to work in January. It provides an opportunity to spring clean my ideas, goals and processes. As I paused over the New Year break, I made a note of some resolutions to help stay on track and focus on success in 2014.
Are you moving forward?
How are you going with achieving the goals you set for 2014? Is it time for a quick check to see if you are on track? Goals go hand in hand with motivation. Setting long and short term goals helps to keep you moving and gives you direction where as motivation gives you energy. Goals and objectives both involve forward motion. You define a destination so tactics can be developed to enable you to get there. A goal defines the big picture, the destination. Objectives are about the tactics, the action plans, the method to accomplish the goal. Here is an action plan to help you move forward and achieve your goals as well as a list of applications to assist with planning and tracking goals and depending on your goals.
Be the boss of your time
Time management is an important life skill that we can all constantly reflect and improve on. Practicing strategies and techniques to manage time enables you to embark on new challenges with confidence. Time management is mainly about controlling your environment, rather than allowing your environment to control you. If you tolerate and allow the interruptions and demands of others then you effectively encourage these time management pressures to continue. Although everybody works differently, read about a four step framework to enable you be the boss of your time.
Have you got a marketing plan?
Without a marketing plan, any time and money spent on marketing will be making stabs in the dark at drumming up business. For a truly effective marketing strategy, you must evaluate your business and its target audience then create a plan of action and follow through with it. This is something every business, no matter how big or small, needs to have in place. After all, you can’t expect business to just fall in your lap! Read our article that outlines the benefits of a strong marketing plan
Setting up good foundations to grow
Do you spend all your time working in your business, not on your business? Is this because you are too busy to do anything about this? As a business grows, things get more complex and it becomes difficult to keep an eye on everything that is happening. Before you know it, mistakes can be made, things forgotten and you feel swamped. It seems easy if you work alone to not prioritise systems as you are not accountable to others. Click here for the seven steps to systemising your workflow.
I wish everyone a happy and safe Christmas and I am excited about what is to come in 2015! What are you looking forward to in the new year?
