Improving your business for the year ahead

New year resolutions are great if they are adhered to but for whatever reason resolve for personal promises begins to wane for many before January is out and the vast majority have been cast aside by the time spring arrives. However, the results are different when it comes to business.

All business owners understand that they can’t afford to treat company goals and objectives with the same relaxed attitude as a new year resolution and the start of the year is the ideal time for some serious reflection and planning.

With a new year comes a fresh start and new opportunities for your business but to make sure you are in prime position to take advantage of these here are a few key points to consider.

Provide an introductory offer

With all sectors becoming more competitive by businesses determined to make up for lost revenue from last year it is imperative that you differentiate your business from its rivals. One way to do this is to provide an introductory offer to your brand.

By creating a smaller, less expensive product you can entice prospects who aren’t familiar with your brand or may not be in a position to commit fully to your offering. Once they realise the benefits of what you offer from sampling this introductory product they are far more likely to be willing to commit to your brand in the long term. Additionally, because an introductory offer enables you to reach new customers it is a great way to raise your brand awareness. There are numerous introductory offers you can provide, including masterclasses, ebooks, workshops and mini courses.

Email marketing

With email marketing providing excellent returns it makes sense to spend time revising your strategy for this important area. You also need to ensure you automate your email marketing as much as possible to give you time to focus on other parts of the business.

The importance of trust

Another way of improving your business is to establish a community group. People buy from people, with trust playing a vital role in the decision making process and creating an online community gives people the reassurance needed to become customers.

Sort out your social media

The role social media plays in the success of businesses cannot be underestimated and now is the ideal time to carry out an audit. This gives you the opportunity to review and evaluate what has worked for your business and what hasn’t and most importantly to take appropriate action. You can reinvest funds from platforms that aren’t delivering for your business into the ones that provide you with the greatest results. Remember that you shouldn’t try and have a presence on all social media platforms, it is better to focus on just a couple. It also helps to choose platforms you are familiar with because they will be easier to use.

Connect with experts

Business owners have a tendency to try and cover all aspects of running their business, whether it is because of a lack of resources or a sense of pride. This isn’t necessary the right decision, especially if there is a lack of knowledge in key areas. A more effective method is to seek experts that specialise in the specific areas that need support. Outsourcing tasks can be less expensive than recruiting professionals as part of the payroll. They also free up valuable time for business owners to utilise their skills elsewhere.

Start podcasting

Try something new this year. Podcasts are underutilised by businesses but audio content is growing in popularity. Guest podcasting is a great way to meet new audiences and give them an introduction to what your business does. A big bonus of guest podcasting is that it doesn’t cost anything apart from your time.

Improve your website

This is a great time to invest money in your website. Having a smooth running, quick and responsive website that is easy to navigate is essential but there could be room for improvement. Website audits can prove valuable feedback and cover a variety of areas such as technical, SEO, content and user experience (UX).

Maybe your website is in need of a makeover. First impressions are important and if your website doesn’t look professional then you are in danger of losing prospects to your competitors. Design is important so make sure you are happy with all aspects of your website from branding to colours, fonts and imagery.

Now your business is ready to overcome the challenges and seize the opportunities that 2022 has in store.

Business Butler is an on-demand talent platform that connects users with a panel of vetted business experts who specialise in a range of disciplines including marketing, law, finance and human resources. To find your ideal expert please click here.