New Year's resolutions for your business

You've thought it hundreds of times this last year and you've probably even said it. "When I have time, I'm going to [fill in the blank] for my business." You know what you need to do or at least do better. For most business owners, resolutions quickly disappear as soon as the new year starts and they get sucked into the vortex of running the business. And once again, they don't make time to work on the improvements. As business life takes over, the good intentions end up on a back burner, then a back shelf, and then the back closet until next year rolls around. So let's go through the typical business New Year's resolutions and briefly discuss how you are going to make 2022 the year of significant improvement for your business! How are you going to ensure you do the work this year? For most of the resolutions below, the easiest solution is to create a repeating calendar appointment to work on each type of resolution. Not one appointment for all but one for each, spaced out reasonably so you don't stress about your other business tasks. And then you will force yourself to keep those appointments! In that repeating calendar entry, add some motivational quotes such as, "It is often said that we should never regret the things that we do in life, just the things that we don't. While that may be true, there are always situations that you may look back upon, usually in old age, and wonder if doing it differently would have made a difference." – Marango Publishing, 101 Things You Will Regret When You're Old. Stuff happens so if you have to skip an appointment, immediately reschedule a makeup date for it. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Are you tired of being stuck in the weeds of your business and wish you could step back and focus on growth instead of operation? Too many business owners and managers get into the habit of thinking they are the only person who can perform certain tasks. While there are key tasks that fall on the leader, it's amazing how many others can be delegated in an emergency. I've seen businesses collapse when an owner got sick or a key employee left and no one knew how to take over. Even complex tasks can be broken down into paint-by-number steps. They can give you freedom, train new employees, provide consistency and give legal support. Strategic plan. Most truly successful companies have a strategic plan. Most failed companies didn't have one. Companies of all sizes, from a solopreneur to an international corporation, can benefit significantly from developing and following a strategic plan. It's the roadmap to success. The key is making the strategic plan easy to follow and relevant. When you post the strategic plan and review it regularly, it repeatedly helps redirect your course so you are working toward the goals and strategies listed in that plan. It's like a rudder on a ship that purposefully steers instead of blowing where the wind takes it. Some leaders write the key elements on their home bathroom mirror with a dry-erase marker so they see it every morning and night. Financial records. It may not be as bad as a shoebox stuffed with receipts, but if you're handling your own finances, it's possible that the Profit & Loss and Cash Flow statements aren't accurate until tax time or bank loan time. If you're a very small business, the checking account might not be in balance most of the year. You keep promising yourself that this will be the year that you stay on top of the finances. It's hard to track strategy, find problems or forecast when your finances aren't accurate. Improve your marketing. Good marketing starts with clearly defining your target audience. The next step is figuring out how to get in front of that audience, followed by tracking results. Often, marketing is inadequate in all these aspects. This year, you will be more purposeful and you won't waste money on marketing that doesn't pay for itself. You'll ask and track how clients heard about you. You'll use tracking codes and promo codes to determine the effectiveness of your printed or digital ads. Organize your workspace. What's on your "I'll clean or organize that someday" list? I've seen multiple businesses schedule an annual cleanup day that, after careful planning ahead of time, ends up creating a more effective workplace for all. Besides the outward appearance of your business, office and surroundings, does your filing system need an overhaul? Do you have your computer file folders well-organized? An organized workspace is an efficient workspace. Appreciate your best customers. Taking key customers for granted is dangerous. The loss of a major client can hurt many businesses. I know many stories of customers who are loyal just because they look forward to the annual holiday gift, appreciation event, personal phone call of appreciation or even just a sincere card of thanks. As a business consultant, I've watched owners avoid these essential tasks as the business spirals down. It was agonizing to watch the crash. But those who allowed a business coach to help them be accountable found ways to stay focused on the resolutions to help them thrive. Make 2022 the year that you do what you know you need to do to thrive. R. Scott Alvord, MBA-MCA, BSCS, is an award-winning, multi-business owner and CEO of Advanced Development Concepts, LLC. He can be reached at www.ADCBiz.com.