New Year – New Goals
For many the business year will be winding down now with just weeks left until Christmas and the New Year. This is of course unless you are an E-commerce store owner then chances are the next few weeks will be your busiest of the year and the last thing on your mind is next year.
However as always we need to keep one eye on the future. With the internet and online industry ever changing you should always look to keep ahead of your rivals or at least in-touch. So, what does this mean? Well now is a good time to start if you already haven’t with making your plans for 2021. You should have some idea on what you want to achieve next year and targets etc. Below we give you ideas for what to plan ahead for and getting organised.
Goals & Targets:
It’s important to have aims and something to aspire to in all walks of life and in the business world this is no different. Without targets then it can be hard to stay motivated. So you should already have a rough idea in your mind on what you want to achieve in 2021. This could be sales targets, turnover figures or number of clients. Your own target is unique to yourself but it’s important to have one. Always write it down too so you don’t forget what the figure is. It could be beating last years target or turnover, it could be installing more carpets if you are a carpet retailer. Never forget also to motivate staff by sharing these targets, giving them something to aim for be it weekly or monthly.
Markets & Industries:
Maybe in 2021 you want to expand into new markets or industries. One way to grow as a business is to move into new areas or markets. Maybe offering a new product or service that opens your company up to progression and expansion. Sometimes all it takes is a little imagination to be creative and new areas to expand it reveal themselves. Maybe you don’t yet retail online, in which case a new E-commerce store would help you expand into an untapped market.
Website:
Maybe you already own a website or you don’t and want to move into this industry. Both examples require forward thinking and planning ahead to really get the best from being online. If you are a high street store and want to expand then selling your products online can be a huge step.
If you already own a website then one thing you need to do is plan for 2021 in terms of website content and features. Have you fallen behind your competitors in terms of website function and usability? Can you add new features like live chat, price comparison options or an easier navigation process? Spring cleaning your website can do wonders for your site visitors experience and encourage them to complete an action.
Advertising:
Have you exhausted all your means of advertising? Did you have a strategic advertising plan in 2020? No doubt this would have bene affected by the pandemic but even so you should have a clear outline of how and where you want to advertise your business in 2021. Are you looking to focus on online advertising, PPC or SEO? Maybe local adverts in the paper. Are you a seasonal product like flowers for valentines day etc.
You need to plan ahead a sometimes advertising has a delayed response so if you are say a florist then planning for Valentines and mothers day are essential.
Staff and Skillsets:
If you need to expand and move forward one of the best ways is by hiring someone with a new skillset. Maybe someone who has experience with online marketing or email marketing. One of the major things holding back progression is a limited skillset. So to plan ahead you need to identify what areas you have a lack of skills and experience within your workforce and start making plans to fill these gaps.
This can be by hiring someone or even just creating a new relationship with a freelancer. Nothing delays a project more then having to speak to and interview new perspective staff, especially when you need to start 2021 already knowing who you will use ideally. This means you can concentrate on running your business rather then conducting interviews etc.
