So with a New Year often comes time for reflection and contemplation.
Perhaps you have taken time to think about some things you want to change in your personal life in 2011. More exercise? Better health? More time with your loved ones? Less time at work?
But have you taken the time to focus on your business?
It is important to take the time to look at the current reality of your business, and to start thinking about where you want the business to get to over the coming 12 months. It may come in the form of an updated (or perhaps even brand new!) business plan. Or just as a list of goals or intentions.
Whatever it is, make sure you take the time to set your intentions for your business for 2011. Without intentions, how do you know you have achieved? How do you know where to put your focus and energy? How do your employees know where they should be helping out and coming up with new ideas?
Here are some questions that you may want to take the time to ask yourself:
- What worked well in 2010 and you want to ensure keeps happening into 2011?
- When you get to December 2011 and you look back at the past year, what would a successful year look like?
- Is 2011 a year for growth, or is it a year for consolidation and maintaining the status quo?
- What ONE change would make the biggest impact and improvement to the way in which your business is run?
- Do you have enough hands to help you achieve your goals? Do you need to look for more employees, or contractors to help you out? Are there specific skills you are currently lacking in your business that you need to find eg website, administration, finance?
- Who are you preferred customers? How do they compare with your current customer base? If they match – how are you going to keep your current customers happy and continue to find more customers who are similar? If they don’t match, how are you going to go out and target your preferred customers?
Start the year as you mean to continue. Take the time to get some focus and ideas to build on. If you would like some help in working through your goals for 2011, then please get in touch.