6 tips to Kick Off Your Small Business in 2016

Well 2016 is well on its way, but if you’ve been a little delinquent in your business and only now getting back into the grove here are a few tips to help you move forward for the rest of the year.

Step 1: Keeping in Touch

Now everyone knows that keeping in touch during the year is great, but there’s nothing like a New Year’s touching base.
Personally I do it all the time in my businesses and it really gets things going.

Even if you haven’t spoken to that customer for a while, it’s always good to reach out during the “New Year” time frame.
That’s basically up until the second week in January.
But even if you missed it I have sent out greetings as late as February 1st.

The secret to that strategy is that alot of people are playing catch up in January.
Emails can be missed easily in the first two weeks of January, simply because everyone and their cat are doing the same thing.
Touching base, reconnecting, so maybe it’s a good thing if you do this a little after the “New Year Touching Base” Rush.

Step 2: Review last year’s goals.

If you didn’t go through a goal planning exercise for the new year as yet now is thetime.
Don’t allow February to start without planning for the rest of the year.
And if that includes getting some last minute projects from last year done, then get to work fast. The first month of the year is slowly running out.

Step 3: Review successes and failures.

What worked well for you last year?
What didn’t work?
What do you think you can do better?
The New Year represents the chance for a clean slate.
Fill that slate with the things that work!

Learning from your mistakes as well as other people’s mistakes is one way to get back on  track.

Step 4: Read and learn.

Everyday I read for 15 minutes.
So if you haven’t done this as yet, spend a few minutes searching the Internet for lists of “must-read” business books.
Find a couple that look like they’d be a good fit for your business and commit to reading them.
I’ve created a monthly reading plan.

Step 5: Learn a new skill

So experiment with social media or learn how to manage an online marketing campaign. Learn how to build a website.
Anything to help you develop you and your business more.

Step 6: Start tax preparation.

Review your bookkeeping system and make sure everything is up to date.

Now is a good time to meet with your accountant.
Start organizing your files in anticipation of tax season.
If you get organized now, the process will be much easier come tax time.
 
So that’s all I have for you today.
Get going before January runs out on you. Remember the start of a New Year is a the start of a New You!