As 2022 comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on the good and bad that has happened in our business and our lives this year. Every successful small business looks at the new year as an opportunity for a fresh start and the right time to set smart goals. Here’s the best way to set realistic goals that you can work on and stick to (unlike those personal wishful new year resolutions).
In order to attain better goals, do this:
If you’ve ever used a vision map, you’ll know how to do this effectively. List down all the ideas you have, dreams, wants, and needs that you have for your small business.
Talk to your customers and incorporate their feedback into your brainstorming, then strategize how to better cater to their needs.
Ask your team to help out by giving you input on some fresh ideas for new opportunities or solutions.
Lastly, think about how technology can help your business. Think about what is new, and what products and services that your suppliers and service providers are offering that can increase your performance, or efficiency, and bring in more customers. If possible, automate everything
Sort your list of goals into relevant buckets. Which are the lowest effort goals that will give you the biggest impact? Those should on top of your list. Then weigh between the ones that require more effort with bigger impact and less effort with less impact. The ones with low effort and low impact should beat the very bottom of your list.
Once you have your list of goals, figure out which will require your full attention, and which don’t necessarily need your intervention. For those that need your complete attention, keep them.
The ones that don’t, consider delegating them to someone else. These shouldn’t be on your list of goals as they don’t need to be done by you. Things like design could easily be outsourced so that it frees up your time for more important and impactful goals.
Make your goals measurable and actionable. Word them so that you know clearly where the targets are and how to achieve them. If the goal statement seems vague, try your best to refine them. Add in your best guess for the numbers you want to achieve. Use data as your guide.
As a business owner, setting goals is the best way for you to chart the course of the coming year. Setting defined, measurable goals that are realistic keeps you in check and helps you stay motivated. Knowing where the targets are and hitting them can be highly satisfying. Just be sure that they aren’t set too low because that can have a negative effect on your business. What kind of goals are you setting for 2023? If it’s to improve your graphics and brand design, maybe you can partner up with professionals like Mad Creative Beanstalk to help you get the designs your brand deserves without sweating it out.
