Some people say January is a good month for reflecting. I do my reflecting in December so I can start making adjustments for the New Year. Either way, it is important to take the time to evaluate the past year, make clear decisions for the upcoming year, rally the troops & set sail for a better course.
End 2014 with a cleansing:
- Prepare to roll your old work files over – It feels less overwhelming when your files are not overflowing.
- Ensure your payables & billing are all in good order & you are ready to close your calendar year books.
- Review staff – As Small Business Owners we sometimes find it hard to be the bad guy, but eliminating staff that aren’t carrying their weight can lower overhead & boost morale.
- Review all your policies, from insurance to internal policies, we often forget to look back at these to ensure they are up to date.
- Conduct a SWOT analysis, this will ease the planning process.
- Create a marketing plan for the New Year, it isn’t that hard, “A dream written down with a Date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into Steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by Action makes your dreams come true”. Greg S. Reid
- Create a budget for the New Year too.
- Rank your clients & fire those “D” clients. They are not making you successful so make room for someone who might.
- Prepare a list of the clients you do want & develop a plan to go after them.
The list can & should go on. Once you have gone through the cleansing stage, you will feel more organized & empowered to tackle 2015. Spend some time thinking about what went well, what you wish to avoid, areas that need improvement, etc. The most important thing is to have a clear direction set in your mind. Then bring in the rest of your team & review the past year with them as well as the clear path to even greater success!
Come out swinging in 2015!
Be strong & determined to reach your goals. I have seen this saying on social media & have adopted it as part of my 2015 success campaign: “Be Stubborn About Your Goals, And Flexible About Your Methods”. I wish you great success in 2015!