Article Contributed by Kelly Gregorio
As savvy as entrepreneurs are, they are one of the easiest groups to let the holidays get the best of them. From family commitments, to vacationed employees and a bustling customer base, this is the season of being overwhelmingly busy.
Truth be told, the whirlwind of the holidays goes by in the blink of an eye. And there you are, faced with a new year and a whole lot of catch up to do.
This year, don’t fall into the holidays’ black hole; instead read on to discover the places and policies that would be greatly served by a little extra focus and attention.
Show Thanks
The holidays go by in the blink of an eye, and if you’re not on top of things you may miss the appropriate time to thank your customers for their business. Be diligent about sending out handwritten cards or perhaps crafting an email that promotes a loyal customer holiday sale/discount. Whatever your approach, encourage customers to deliver feedback on what they love and what changes they’d like to see in 2014.
As for your employees, the end of the year should mean more than just an annual review. Now is the perfect time to reflect and show thanks. Thank them for their yearly contribution and mentor them by establishing individual professional goals for the coming year. Not only will employees feel valued and respected, but your appreciation for their effort may also give them a much-needed boost throughout the busy holiday season.
Stay Active and Bright
Chances are that the social media bug bit you earlier this year. With all of the positive customer-interaction potential, you’ve hopefully jumped on the Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram brand bandwagons. Good for you! But don’t forget about your old friend, your website…
Now that you’ve moved on to other, more current technologies, it may be time to revamp the look and messages displayed on your web pages. Get rid of stale content and post something fresh that matches your style and tone. Update your website with new products and upcoming services for 2014. Also make sure all of your links to social media are just a click away. Incorporating new technology into your brand’s outreach is key, just make sure your brand’s look and tone remains consistent throughout all of your different platforms on the web.
Evaluate Your Partners and Procedures
Before a fresh year is upon you it’s a good idea to evaluate your current partners and policies. Take a minute and look at all of the outsourced relationships your business is currently involved in. Are they working? Is the competition offering something better? If not then now is the time to make a change in the spirit of the upcoming New Year. And if you’re happy, then extend a well-deserved thank you to keep your positive relationship going.
The same concept goes for your current polices and procedures. Sure, you follow the steps you put in place because they are what got your business off of the ground, but are they still working? More important, how can they be improved?
Prep and Envision a Strong 2014
Despite how busy you are it may be worth squeezing in a meeting with your accountant before the New Year’s ball drops. Buying new equipment, setting up a retirement plan or donating to a charity are all things you will probably do eventually, so why not do it when it makes the most financial sense? See if you can conduct any end-of-the-year adjustments to save your business money and more important, end this year on a financially healthy high note.
Also, before 2013 comes to a close it’s a good idea to sit back and reflect yourself. What were your biggest hurdles this year? How did you overcome them?
Take some time to envision your planned success in 2014. Outline what changes you hope to see and start setting benchmarked goals that will lead you toward achieving them. The holidays will come and go no matter what, how accomplished you’ll feel when this year’s calendar comes to a close is completely up to you.
How will you keep your entrepreneurial focus through the holidays?
Share your tips with us!
About the author: Kelly Gregorio writes about small business topics while working at Advantage Capital Funds, a provider of merchant cash advances. You can read her daily business blog here.