GOALS TO SET IN 2019 FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS

Goals give us direction. They create something to aim for and sets you on the path to success. If you didn’t accomplish what you had hoped in the last year, it might be because you set the wrong objectives or none at all. Once you define what you hope to achieve, you can break it down into manageable parts. Small steps lead to achieving big goals. In this article are a few top goals small businesses should look to set in 2019.

ASSESS YOUR TEAMS PERFORMANCE
You can start by evaluating who is on your team. What are they good at and where do they struggle? You can’t expect to achieve your goals in 2019 if you do not fix the issues that are holding your team back in 2018. Your first goal should be to improve the performance of your team. Assess where they are strong and focus on their capabilities. You should also spot their weaknesses, then get them involved in making adjustments and setting goals to move forward. You may be able to tweak their role and responsibilities to focus on areas where they are stronger.

EVALUATE WHO YOUR AUDIENCE IS AND WHAT THEY WANT
If you are not sure who your audience is you can be wasting time trying to work with the wrong people. Think of what problems you can solve for your clients, what you like to do, and what does your ideal client look like? Once you have clearly defined your audience, you can set the right goals. One way to do this is asking for feedback from your customers and even your prospects. You can gain valuable insight and learn more about your audience which will make it easier to sell to them.

CREATE SMALL GOALS
If you want to accomplish a big goal the best way to get started is to break down your goals into small chunks. Try to do some strategic planning to determine the steps needed to get to the end result. Your goal will become more manageable when you break it down into a series of small goals.

MAKE CUSTOMER SERVICE A PRIORITY
Have you noticed a decline in service when you are out to dinner or shopping? It is a huge turnoff, and I find myself not going back to those places where I had a bad experience. Most of the time the workers do not care, and the business owners don’t even realize it, but over time it can really hurt a business. The truth is I would pay more to be treated better. If you show your customers some love and build a strong relationship, they will be much more inclined to stay with you.

Improving your customer service means meeting your customer’s needs. A great way to do this is to upgrade your technology and automate your workflow. Make it easy for clients to communicate with you and be proactive with letting them know important information and changes in the industry.

Shake things up next year and set some big goals. These tips should help you get the ball rolling then you have to do the work to make the magic happen. I would love to hear updates on your goals and progress. I wish you much success in 2019!