New year, new you! Every business owner knows that a new year is an exciting time for your operation to try new things, overcome new challenges, and grow to new heights. Of course, every business owner also knows that the key to another successful year is preparation. As you sit down with your team to begin plotting your course for 2024, you may want to take a second and ask yourself these important questions going into the new year:

Have You Taken Your Business Online?

Let’s be real – the days when you could get away with just traditional print marketing are over. With everything and everyone moving online, you don’t want to get left behind. If your business doesn’t have a website or social media set up yet, then 2024 might be the perfect time to start. Out with the old and in with the new right, am I right?

Giving your business an online presence isn’t just trendy, it can open a new world of opportunities. With a website in place and a social media profile to your name, you can unlock new ways to advertise and help your products and services reach an even wider audience. Plus, being online makes it even easier to communicate with your customers through online reviews, comments, and direct messages. As a result, you can get a better feel for what people really want to see from your business – which may also boost your sales.

There are plenty of user-friendly programs and guides out there to help you get started building your business’s online presence. However, if you want a more complex website or you don’t think you’ll be able to maintain social media yourself, you may want to consider hiring a third party or an in-house team to help take your business online.

Did you decide on next year’s goals?

Would you ever travel someplace new without a map or GPS? You can guess that without any sort of direction, you’re likely to get lost in uncharted territory. Well, entering a new year with your business is the same way. When creating a business plan for the upcoming year, you need to have a clear sense of where you’re headed – and the best way to do that is with goal setting. To start, you can take a look back at your wins and losses in 2023 as well as your finances and customer feedback. What is your business doing really well? Where did you see sales and customer satisfaction soar? Are there any areas where you can improve?

Based on these factors, you can determine where you want to take your business in 2024. It’s best to narrow it down to 3 or 4 goals that will serve as your year-round priorities. Keep in mind that these priorities will often fluctuate throughout 2024, so be sure to revisit your goals periodically to see if there is anywhere you want to pivot. Remember, it’s okay to drop a project or business venture if you see that it is not producing the results you wanted. There may be other areas where your time and money can be better spent.

Lastly, be sure that you are setting SMART goals when creating this year’s business plan. In other words, you’ll want to ensure that your 2024 goals are strategic, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound with deadlines.

Are there any new vendors or pieces of equipment you can explore?

Having equipment and vendors that slow down your business’s growth is so last year. If you want to keep up with demand and speed up production, then be sure to inspect the technology your business is using to see if any upgrades are needed. Similarly, think about the third-party services that you use for your business operations. Are you happy with the level of service they offer or are you open to other options? Are there any processes you’re currently handling that you’d rather outsource to a vendor in the new year?

Cost can also be a big factor in determining if you want to move forward with new equipment or services. Be sure to do your research before making any decisions by gathering quotes from competitive manufacturers or vendors for comparison. You may find that someone out there has a better deal on a service, product, or piece of technology than what you are already getting. Conversely, you may decide that the vendor or equipment you’re currently using will be fine for another year. More so, you might even find that you no longer need a service or product at all, or that you may be better off handling a project in house than handing it off to a vendor.

Did you check in with your employees?

You know what they say, “A happy team is a productive team.” As 2023 comes to a close, your employees may be thinking about the future of their careers and whether they want to stay with your company or not. The last thing you want is to start the new year having lost members of your invaluable staff and spending more resources to train replacement hires. To avoid turnover, it’s important to recognize your employees’ achievements, connect with them, and create incentives to get your talented team to stay.

One way to form stronger relationships with your staff is to involve them in the goal setting process. Consider sitting down with each employee – or each department if you’re leading a bigger company – and working on individual goals for them to focus on in 2024. Similarly, you can lead company-wide meetings to gather feedback from your team and provide your own. By working together to create next year’s business plan, you begin to foster a strong, collaborative environment that empowers your team to think like owners and feel appreciated.

Did you take time to rest and recharge?

Your business has survived the year and will no doubt come out stronger in 2024. This is something that should be celebrated! While it may be tempting to jump straight into action as soon as the ball drops, it is also important for you and your team to have a work-life balance. Taking a few days away from the business to focus on yourself does not decrease productivity. In fact, it can give you and your team a much-needed break to reset after all the hard work you put in throughout 2023. You’ll often find yourself feeling mentally and physically refreshed for the new year when you return to the office after some time away.

Summary

With a new year comes plenty of new opportunities to watch your business grow. No matter the trials or triumphs you experienced in 2023, now is your chance to start 2024 off right with an updated business model, a plan of action, and a passionate, determined team to support your goals. Get ready to take your business to another level, 2024 is going to be your year!