We started the business year in 2020 with firm plans and optimistic outlooks, but this all evaporated by mid-March as focus changed from thriving to surviving. While there are no guarantees as to what 2021 will bring, there is still ample opportunity to start planning for a more prosperous year. Let’s shift the focus toward long-term goals and objectives.

Review what you’ve learnt from 2020 – Look Back to Move Forward

An annual review allows you to evaluate what practices are currently in place, whether they’re working out and what direction the business is going in. Try taking a look at your business plan, if you have one, updating it regularly gives you a chance to monitor your progress and take corrective action if things aren’t going to plan. Reflecting on this year in business will offer you valuable insights. Without it, it’s impossible to understand the changes that should be made in order to succeed.

Talk to your customers – It’s all about the Chit-Chat!

Be there for your customers – make a special effort to reach out to them at the start of 2021. Business enters a new year of uncertainty and your clients will remember the positive thoughtful interactions they had when they needed it most. If you can, try offering support or provide links to valid sources of support. Although, remember not to share any beliefs or information not shared by trusted sources.

Look at what your competitors are doing – Sometimes it’s good to be nosey…

You can feel a bit of a nosey neighbour as you look up your competitor’s social media profiles and contact their customer service lines… However, it’s important to keep track of what our competitors are up to and this has never been truer than now. If you’re in a sector that has been hit by the pandemic, try researching your competitors. It may just give you a few ideas of how to boost sales. Consider the following questions – how are your competitors reaching out to new customers? Are they getting much engagement on social media? Can you see what they could be doing differently, to ensure they reach their target audience?

Explore your marketing options – Get Creative!

The New Year is often considered a time to refresh, restart and get motivated – time to take your marketing plan by the horns and give it a good shake up! Market your business both online and offline by highlighting upcoming events for 2021, start a customer loyalty programme or a Facebook Ad Campaign, the options are endless. Although, if you’re struggling to understand marketing and it’s importance, try taking a look at Mindspun – for an essential guide to marketing your small business.

Clarity Hours – Time to boost your productivity

Every minute of your life is golden, are you treating it that way? Making the most of your time is critical, and often we get stuck in repetitive working patterns, without stopping to deliberately consider how we could manage our time smarter. Here at Elite PA Solutions, we’ve developed a ‘Clarity Hour’. Simply put, a clarity hour is a way to turn an ordinary hour into an extraordinary one! Its 60 minutes of focused time on Zoom, where we support you to make the necessary changes, with an aim of saving you time, money and allowing you to move your business forward to success.

This article was written by Sandy Hearn at Elite PA Solutions. Elite PA Solutions is a team of Virtual Assistants who will save you time by taking care of the operational side of both your business and personal life. If you’re interested in learning more, please visit our website at www.elitepasolutions.com or feel free to contact us at office@elitepasolutions.com.

We look forward to hearing from you.