Welcome to 2017!  If you are like most Americans, you have a list of personal New Year’s resolutions.  However, have you set your business goals for the New Year?  Here are some suggestions about how to grow your business…

  1. Set concrete goals. Where do you want your business to be a year from now? Brainstorm . . . no idea is too big or too small. After you prioritize your goals, use a calendar to plan how you can achieve these goals. Break your goals into smaller tasks – and make sure the tasks are executable! Steps for each goal should be broken down into monthly, weekly, and daily assignments. Make business planning a weekly event.
  2. Make marketing and promoting your business a top priority. With the widespread use of social media, publicizing your business has never been easier or more affordable. Publishing weekly blog posts, increasing daily activity on social media, and adding new contacts are easily achievable goals that will immensely benefit your business’ growth.
  3. Promote yourself! Become know as an expert in your field. Create a personal brand. Book speaking engagements, guest post on blogs, and use social media to make your name recognized in your field.
  4. Become more productive and learn something new this year. Don’t give up on your business resolutions and don’t make excuses! Once you identify your new business goals, it till take time for them to become institutionalized – it takes 20 to 30 days for a behavior to become a habit. Also, learn how to use a new software package (such as Teamwork or GoogleDocs) to make yourself and your business more productive.
  5. Delegate! Create guidelines for staff training and trust your new hires.
  6. Don’t stop networking. You have built an amazing network to build your successful business. Continue cultivating your network and expand your horizons by joining professional organizations, networking groups, and meet-ups. And don’t forget your social media network!
  7. Give back to your community. Find a cause that is important to you and volunteer, become a mentor, or serve on a committee.
  8. Keep your list of resolutions handy! Plan on a least quarterly check-ins to reevaluate what is and what isn’t working. Be realistic and don’t be afraid to abandon what is broken.