7 ways to hit the ground running in 2016
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Printing on more than paper
Some predict that everyone will have a 3D printer on their desk within five years. Many businesses have already invested in 3D printers to create product pieces, develop marketing materials, and serve other purposes. Printers such as the Lulzbot Mini can print using polyester, nylon, and many other materials, opening a range of possibilities.
Reward customer loyalty
A loyalty program can nurture customer relationships and help increase sales. Consider inviting customers to sign up for rewards emails or using the loyalty features in your mobile payment platform to track the results of your offers. Reward customers who make a certain number of purchases or visits.
Sharpen your inventory forecasts
Good inventory management can improve customer satisfaction and increase profitability. It can also boost order management efficiency. Explore the low-cost apps available for tracking and forecasting inventory. Some of these apps offer a free trial, which can help you find the one that best meets your needs. Learn more.
Organize your computers, set up a contingency plan, and other ways to rock the new year
Are you already thinking 2016 is going to be a great year for your small business? Hold on a minute. Before you actually bid adieu to 2015, there are some things you can—and should—do right now to assure you hit the ground running in 2016.
Thoroughly review 2015
There’s no better way to learn than from your own experiences. List your wins and your losses. What did you do right? What went wrong that was beyond your control? What mistakes did you make? Assessing 2015 will help you create a plan for 2016 showing you how to replicate your victories and avoid making the same mistakes.
Organize your office
Don’t wait for spring to do a thorough cleaning of your file cabinets, closets, bookshelves, and drawers. Throw out any documents you don’t need. Scan others so you can safely store them in the cloud without fear of losing them. Donate books you no longer look at. Is it time to replace or repair office furniture? Does your office have adequate lighting? Are your chairs and keyboards ergonomic? Are your computers, printers, routers, scanners, and other office equipment running efficiently? Are you using the latest software? If not, you could be hurting company productivity. Take advantage of end-of-year sales to update your technology or replenish your office supplies. You may even want to paint the office to get you off to a truly fresh start.
Organize your computers
Have you noticed (or heard from your staff) that the company computers are a little sluggish lately? It could be because they’re bloated with outdated files, photos, emails, and documents. Delete what you no longer need. If you’re concerned about permanently losing access to those files, put them on a thumb drive or external drive or upload them to the cloud. Make sure your information is organized correctly and easily accessible to you and your employees. (Putting it in the cloud makes it easier to access from anywhere at any time.)
Quickly identify what’s going right and where you’re veering off track so you can make any necessary adjustments to get back on track.
Create a realistic plan for 2016
Yes, we all should have stretch goals, but you need to have a realistic view of your business to set them. Create annual strategic goals (whether that’s measured in revenue, customer acquisition, market expansion, or going global). Then create a monthly operational plan that will help you get from where you are on January 1, 2016 to where you want to be on December 31. The more specific your plan, the better your chance of success.
Set up weekly review meetings
The quickest way to get off track is to not follow the plan you’ve just created. Schedule regular meetings, whether that’s with your team, your accountant, or your board of advisers. Review the plan you put together and measure your progress. Are you hitting your numbers? Quickly identify what’s going right and where you’re veering off track so you can make any necessary adjustments to get back on track.
Set up a contingency plan
Something always goes wrong. Don’t let that interrupt your workforce productivity. For example, what will you do if a key employee quits or if one of your commercial vehicles breaks down? What would happen if your data were hacked or your office was flooded? Play the “what if” game and prepare a contingency plan to cover all facets of your business. The more answers you come up with now, the quicker you’ll be able to fix what goes wrong, lessening any negative impact on your business in 2016.
Take time off
No one should work 24/7, something small business owners inevitably do. I’m not saying you shouldn’t pay attention, but if you properly manage your time, you should be able to take a day off, a long weekend or even a weeklong vacation. And make sure your staff is taking time off, too. Too much work and too little sleep makes you less, not more, productive.
As the founder & CEO of Brian Moran & Associates, Moran is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs achieve their objectives and run better businesses. Moran leverages his 25+ years of experience in publishing magazines for business owners to assist entrepreneurs with everything from social media to accessing growth capital to expanding into the global marketplace.
This topic contains 4 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by Brian Moran 1 week, 6 days ago.
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