Most of us make resolutions to better ourselves at the start of each year, but have you considered making some for your business too? The turn of a new year is a good chance to reflect, figure out what’s working for your company and what you could probably change.
You can look back over the goals you have set, and just make sure that you’re on track and on the path you set out to be on when you first started out. If you’re planning on making some improvements, here are five things you could review in your small business and potentially change in 2022.
Your Website
Your website is one of the most important elements of your business. Perhaps you had a simple website put together when you first started out, or maybe as you’ve expanded your site no longer works as well as it should. Consider if now is a good time to invest in a better website for your company.
Marketing
Perhaps you were really lucky in the early days, and your small business took off immediately. It might have gone viral during a lockdown or spread well through word of mouth, but now you’re looking at longer-term ways to keep getting the message out there. Marketing is crucial, you need to ensure that you’re reaching the right people and using techniques that won’t harm your rankings in search engines or your reputation.
For this reason, unless you’re qualified and experienced in this area it’s worth outsourcing the work to professional companies. You could find a business that will tackle all elements of marketing for you or those that focus on specific areas such as podcast booking services or blogger outreach. Either way, don’t rest on your laurels- even if the business has been going well so far without much marketing effort, you’ll need to ensure you put in the work so that things continue to keep ticking over.
Employee satisfaction
As a small business, you might be a one-man band, but if you do have any employees working for you then it’s important to make sure that their needs are met. If you look after your staff, they will look after your clients or customers so ask for their input- what would make them happier at work or is there anything they’re unsatisfied with. Being an understanding boss who is prepared to listen will benefit everyone.
Your workspace
As well as your employees, consider your own happiness at work. A simple change like improving your workspace could make all the difference- buy yourself a new desk and chair, invest in some proper storage, move your desk closer to the window to make the most of the natural light. The start of the new year is a good time to go through any physical files and generally give things a clean and tidy, ready for a fresh start.
Suppliers
Finally, have a think about the suppliers you’re using. If your business has grown, can your current suppliers keep up? Do they align with your brand’s values? Are they reliable? Avoid supply chain issues and keep things running smoothly by keeping tabs on this area of your business.
