FIVE GOALS EVERY SMALL BUSINESS
SHOULD STRIVE FOR IN 2019
With the start of each new year it is important to reflect on the past year’s performance and consider the following questions: What could we improve? What did we learn? How did we grow? What are our goals for the new year?
Goal setting is one of the most important activities you can do in your small business. It helps you to stay focused and can prevent your business from becoming stagnant. Your business goals keep you moving forward and set the stage for ongoing success. To help you get started with your small business goals this year, here is a list of goals that have the potential to change your business for the better. Start thinking today about ways you can accomplish these goals and succeed in 2019.
1.) Improve Organisational Culture
Improving and strengthening the organisational culture of your business is an excellent goal that can boost employee morale, improve your business reputation and increase productivity at work. Businesses that have a strong organisational culture practice concepts like maintaining an open line of communication and feedback, offering incentives and perks, strategic employee development, establishing core values and providing a comfortable and welcoming workspace.
2.) Read, Read, Read.
Many well-known entrepreneurs credit their business success with reading extensively and continuously seeking out knowledge and new ways of doing business. Bill Gates read more than 50 books a year. Steve Jobs read everything he could get his hands on. Reading is a practice that keeps your mind alive, alert and hungry – and opens your brain to new ideas and your heart to inspiration. For 2019, compile your own personalised reading list. Reading is an invaluable habit that, once cultivated, will undoubtedly help to foster creativity, inspiration and drive.
3.) Appreciate Your Employees
Though employee appreciation is a part of organizational culture it is still very much worth mentioning as a singular goal. Within most organisations, there is a large portion of employees who often feel under-appreciated. There are many ways to show appreciation for your employees – throughout the year – including small parties and gatherings, public acknowledgements within the office, and on social media of employee achievements or superb employee performance and extra time off. No matter how you choose to show appreciation for your employees, ensure consistency and meaningfulness within your approach throughout the year. It should also be manageable and fit within your budget.
4.) Improve Your Online Presence
Another great goal for 2019 is to pay greater attention to your online presence as this can help to drastically expand your market. It is extremely important that every business has a strong website, social media accounts and a working knowledge of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). A full evaluation of your current marketing efforts should be undertaken to determine if your business is fully utilizing its online presence as an effective marketing tool. For the new year, develop strategies to increase traffic to your website and create content that makes your business stand out online!
5.) Organise Your Finances
If your business is already on top of its finances – Excellent! If not, 2019 is the year to make your money management a priority and get disciplined about your financial basics today. There is no better time than the present to start working towards this goal.
Do you have a working budget? Do you know how much you’re spending? Are there ways you can thin expenses and increase the financial health of your business? Do you have a reliable accounting process that allows you to regularly run and review reports? Each of those questions and activities is important to growing your business, and though they may not be the most enjoyable part of running a business, they will pay off in the long run. Make this year the year you lock down your spending and improve the fiscal health of your business!
Written By Sherise Brooks
