The new year is a great time to reevaluate your business goals. This time naturally marks a new beginning, and many feel inspired by the opportunity to start fresh. Unfortunately, too many people abandon goals for the new year by March, which won't do your company any good. In order to actually be successful, you need achievable goals you won't want to abandon. Here are five things you can do to elevate your company without the dreaded burnout.
1. Streamline Your Processes
Just about any company has room to improve their productivity. There are countless ways you could be wasting time or money in your daily operations, and some of these ways could be hiding in plain sight. Utilize tools like a time card calculator to help you pinpoint employees and tasks to see where there is opportunity for improvement. Once you've identified your weaknesses, you can work as a team to come up with more effective ways to manage your time and complete tasks. Doing so many not only improve your bottom line, but also reduce stress placed on employees and lead to a happier, healthier workplace.2. Modernize Your Social Media Presence
It seems as though social media is here to stay, so if you haven't taken the plunge yet, it's safe to say that you're leaving money on the table. The same applies to those making the same bland Facebook posts that never get any likes, let alone shares. If your followers aren't clicking the links, you're just wasting your time. Social media sites have vast amounts of demographic data you could be utilizing to get more eyes on your business. Find out which sites your customers are using and meet them there. Post valuable content they want to see, and you'll be able to make much more meaningful connections. Your clients might like to see videos about how you make your products or perform your services. Others might like funny memes or photos. It'll take some research to get your content right, but the effort is well worth it.
3. Refresh Your Hiring Procedures
If you only want the best of the best in a competitive job market, you may have to take a look at your hiring process, especially if some of your employees have been disappointing. Find new ways of vetting applications and choose new, creative questions to see how applicants respond. Look at what you value in an employee, such as determination and problem solving skills, and make your interview process reflect that. The more effort you put into these systems, the more likely you are to attract the right kind of employees.4. Network
There are more unique opportunities for networking than ever. You can network within your industry to learn new trends and improve your weaknesses, or you can network outside of your industry to create new and exciting partnerships. Finding products or services that work together in unexpected ways can be a huge hit on social media, and these unique partnerships can get more views for both of you. Sharing audiences aside, you never know when the next perfect employee will come across your path.5. Seek the Muse
It's time to stop waiting for inspiration to strike. If you want to truly elevate your business this year, it's time for you to seek the muse. You never know where you'll discover new ways of thinking, new marketing and product ideas, or new ways of connecting to your customers. A random post you see scrolling Instagram could be the inspiration behind an entire line of products or marketing campaign. Another company's ad could inspire new packaging or giveaway ideas. Hard work often yields positive results, but it's also beneficial to let your subconscious wander and do some of the work for you.It can be stressful to think about all the ways your business could be better, so don't be afraid to approach each task one at a time. As you experiment with what does and doesn't work for your company, you'll feel more confident about all the techniques available to you in the new year.
