Posted by Paul Anderson
Planning for your Year End holidays? First take a look at these pointers
Exhausted and tired: December is the time when we all need a holiday and luckily we do get that at this time too.
But surprisingly, every year the situation is same: before we actually realize it, the holiday is over and we are back to work starting another year. And then the most important question crops up:
Now what? How should the business be run this year? Will there be a continuation of old processes or is there a need to integrate something new.
Jimmy Blake comments – “Many entrepreneurs don’t plan for the coming year. During the holidays, they keep thinking of their business’s next move in the coming year. This adds a huge amount of stress over the holiday where entrepreneurs live a life of anxiety and fear rather than one of enjoyment with family and friends”.
Instead of developing a cold feet then – businesses can prepare themselves NOW to avoid anxiety during and after the holidays. Vacation can be up and relaxing and entrepreneurs can return refreshed ready to go in action with their new plans and goals. (Sounds good, right?)
So here we are giving you three business tips (offered by Colin Sprake, motivational business speaker and author of the upcoming book The Entrepreneur Success Recipe) that you need to follow just before you take your yearly off.
1. Reflect on the Year
This is the perfect time of reflection on where your business is going. So assess your marketing, sales and customer service strategies. Reflect upon what worked and what didn’t and how you can improve those areas. Analyze your product and service offerings. Note if any modifications are required in them.
We suggest: Go for the KAIZAN policy. Point out the major activities/initiatives that have improved your overall business process. See how you can repeat them (or tasks in similar lines to those), the next year.
2. Hone your Business Intellect
There’s no better place to get ideas than from the business books written by some of the best and experienced entrepreneurs. So take out time and read a great business book. Here’ll you get ample innovative ideas to improve the areas where you’re lacking.
We suggest: Read books on the current industry trends like Age of the Customer. We all know that we have entered the age where the power lies in the hands of the empowered customers. To survive and flourish in this phase, you need a paradigm shift in your strategies.
And reading books on Age of the Customer will give you a precise guidance of what you need to do. For instance, what special cloud based applications you need to implement or any specific custom application development you need to go for?
3. Set Goals
Just as you make New Year’s Resolutions to lose weight or eat healthier, similarly set resolutions for your business too. Let’s say this year the prime focus will be on shorter sales cycles or higher sales quota.
Irrespective of what goal you set for your business, be sure to make your goals measurable so that you can review them on a regular basis and evaluate your progress.
And during the holidays…
Thank your Family
“Your family supports you through the thick and thin of your business,” says Sprake. So we should thank them. However while we often take time to thank clients for their business, we forget to do the same for our families. So this year, break the pattern and show gratitude to your family.
There can be many ways to do so. For instance, Sprake himself hosts a gratitude dinner for his family to thank them for helping him achieve his business successes.
