When you think of the New Year, you will no doubt start contemplating the many resolutions you’ve made in the past, and perhaps what you plan to do for the next 12 months. Of course, for most of us, those resolutions may be personal: lose weight, exercise more, actually go to the gym, stop smoking, eat healthier …
What about resolutions for your business? Stopping to think about what little changes you could make now, could help ensure that 2019 is your best year yet. We pulled together some of our top resolutions to help get the ball rolling.
Learn to delegate
In a world where we all seem to be striving for a better work-life balance, it’s clear one of the best ways to ensure that is to do less, delegate more. However, that’s often easier said than done when your business is also your baby. Nobody can do things better than you, right?
Wrong.
As the owner of your business there are things that only you can do. That’s fair enough. However, there will be plenty of things that other people, specialists in their own areas, can do better than you. For example, rather than spending hours trawling the internet looking for generic terms and conditions to use in your contracts, why not use a solicitor to draw up bespoke and legally binding terms on your behalf?
Promote your business regularly and consistently
The main problem with any resolution is that they start with the best of intentions, but often fall by the wayside within three weeks. It’s much the same when it comes to marketing. Many business owners will review their current strategy, realise it needs to be improved, and for a few weeks will make a huge effort to “do better”.
Then they get busy, run out of time, and stop.
Why not make 2019 the year where you actually stop doing this dance, and instead find someone to help you ensure you are consistently, and effectively, marketing your business to the right people?
Join a new business group or organisation
Oh come on, you knew we were going to include something like this, surely? Joining a new group, whether it’s a regular professional group, or an ad hoc meeting of like-minded business owners, is a great way to learn new things, generate ideas and maybe even increase business.
It can also be good for your mental and emotional wellbeing. We all know being a business owner can be lonely at times, especially if you’re a sole-trader and have no staff, or anyone else to rely on or defer to.
Most groups allow you to go along to a couple of meetings for no charge, or at least no membership fee, so you can find out a bit more about it and see if it’s the right fit for you and your business.
Give something back
Supporting a local cause or charity, donating your time and allowing others to benefit from your experience, are great ways to give something back. Not only will you be helping other people, in whatever way you can, but you will also feel good about being part of something bigger than you.
Here at Bury Business Group we support the Buddy Bag Foundation, and are proud to do all we can as a group, and individual members, to help them assist children in need.
What resolutions are you going to make in your business for 2019?