As the year rapidly winds down and we set our sights to a quickly approaching January, it’s time to begin thinking about those shiny New Year’s resolutions. Nearly everyone has the same goals in mind: go to the gym more often, try a new diet, learn a new language, or start a new hobby. However, entrepreneurs and business-minded people might have a different approach.
In addition to a few personal resolutions, chances are they’re thinking about how to build their brand in 2020. It’s a good idea to start the new year motivated, right?
In order to make New Year’s resolutions that stick, each goal you make must be S.M.A.R.T. Make sure every one of your resolutions are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.
With the S.M.A.R.T. standards in mind, entrepreneurs can better achieve their resolutions or any goal they set their mind to.
This year we’re bound to see endless possibilities for all kinds of brands as industries and consumers are shifting, updating and demanding more.
So what resolutions are modern entrepreneurs making? Here are 20 New Year’s resolutions that are trending for 2020. In truth, they are timeless for any business owner. Plus, these resolutions are broken down by category to keep you on track and your goals organized.
Marketing
1. Update your website
How’s your brand presence online?
Use the start of 2020 to analyze all your online platforms, but especially your website. Dust off any cobwebs by updating stale content and take the time to read every line of text. Take your website page by page and check that links and buttons are still working, too.
Lastly, don’t forget to check your website on your phone. You need to be mobile-friendly, as 52.2% of all online traffic was generated through mobile devices.
2. Engage with your audience
Your goal when marketing should be to create conversations, not just impressions. You want people to talk about your brand with their friends.
Take your presence further by engaging with your audience through commenting, liking, and sharing others’ posts. Simply posting isn’t enough anymore because social platforms’ algorithms prioritize engagement and online conversations.
Don’t just post and ghost your followers. Dedicating just a few minutes a day to true one-to-one online interactions will make a big difference for your marketing in 2020.
Related: How to create a social media content calendar, then post engaging content
3. Create more focused content
When you’re brainstorming this year’s marketing content, try to narrow it down.
Often times, marketing campaigns are vague attempts at reaching a wide audience. Rather than casting a large net to the masses, try marketing to a niche instead. That way, you can create targeted content for specific audiences. Not only will your marketing be more successful, but it allows you to have more fun!
Focus on the pain points of this niche and how you offer a solution. Use their language and play with your content and messaging.
4. Experiment with video marketing
The internet is exploding with videos and any successful, modern marketing strategy includes video content in 2020.
Thanks to social media, tools like Instagram Stories, Instagram TV and Facebook Live make live streaming seamless (and free!). Live streaming is a great gateway into video because it doesn’t require planning, scripts, multiple takes, or editing.
Take customers behind the scenes of your business, host a Q&A, interview a customer, or film a day-in-the-life video. Your followers will enjoy seeing a new side of your business.
Related: 9 types of video content to help you move customers through the sales funnel
5. Improve customer satisfaction
No matter what stage you’re in, startups or established brands can all benefit from improving client satisfaction.
The launch of a new year is a great time to send a survey and ask your audience what they want. This questionnaire will help shed light on areas where you can improve and could spark ideas for new desired services or products.
A survey is also a great way to collect testimonials or reviews. These short opinions make powerful content for any website or marketing campaign.
Another way to boost customer satisfaction is to try sharing some gratitude. Start sending thank you emails, offer exclusive deals to loyal customers, and try your best to go above and beyond helping customers this year.
Related: Measuring customer satisfaction as a service-based business
Sales
6. Reevaluate your customer
The start of a new year is the perfect time to take a step back and analyze who exactly your customer is.
Has your audience changed? More often than you think, they do!
Take a look at purchasers last year and try to find commonalities among them. Do they have similar demographics, professions, gender or other factors that can help you define a new target audience?
By reevaluating your customer, you’re sure to run more successful marketing campaigns as you can target the needs of these specific people more closely.
Related: Why a target audience matters (and how to find yours)
7. Dive into your books
Unfortunately, we’re not talking about fun beach reads — we’re talking financials.
Take the beginning of 2020 to really dive into your books. If you’re not financially savvy, invest in finding some help or hiring someone to aid you in understanding the numbers behind your business.
Once you acquire this important knowledge, it’s time to think ahead. Map out future financial predictions using last year’s data and be aware of any unnecessary spending. The launch of 2020 is an opportune time to trim the fat and lower your overall expenses.
8. Watch your competitors
Some companies are smart enough to keep a close eye on their competitors, but do you? If not, 2020 is the year to start.
Follow them on social media, sign up for their newsletters, and subscribe to their blogs. Set up a Google alert to notify you if they make headlines or publish any big announcements.
You can’t compete if you’re in the dark. Be smart this year to keep tabs on anyone who is stealing market share from you and your business.
Related: How to find inspiration from your competitors (without stealing their ideas)
9. Revive an abandoned project
Use 2020 to reignite some failed attempts. If you find yourself at a roadblock, try assigning a new person to the project with fresh eyes. This new perspective might be just what you need to get it off the ground once and for all.
10. Offer something new
A new year means new beginnings.
Is there a product or service that your customers have been asking for? Is there an add-on that compliments an existing offer that might have gone stale?
Updating your brand and what it can offer will excite customers and attract new ones. It’s also a great reason to reach out to past clients and encourage repeat business.
Related: 5 steps to take before a new product launch
Productivity
11. Invest in your team
One way many entrepreneurs are ringing in 2020 is through continued education.
Make more productive employees and cultivate a culture of growth by hosting lunch-and-learns, hiring a guest speaker, reading a book collectively, or funding an online class or course.
Keeping your team sharp doesn’t only let you reap the benefits, but it shows appreciation and respect to your staff that you care about them personally.
12. Stick to a to-do list
It’s better to work smarter, not harder, right? The most successful entrepreneurs focus on productivity to maximize time at the office.
If you don’t already, start assigning yourself a daily to-do list. Write down every task in your queue and circle three that must get done that day. Focus on those items first and foremost.
The “Bullet Journal” method is a popular productivity hack many follow. If you prefer digital options, try a to-do list app.
If your whole team could use some help, try a project management tool that everyone can benefit from while at the office. By enforcing deadlines and showing accountability, 2020 is bound to be a more productive year for everyone.
Related: 15 powerful productivity apps for business
13. Say “no” more
As opposite as it sounds, saying “no” can help you get more done. Why? By allowing yourself the flexibility to say no, you stop loading your plate with any unnecessary tasks.
While helping others is crucial, it’s equally important to politely deny demanded aid when it puts you under stress.
You need time to complete everything you’ve prioritized, so this year, don’t be afraid to brush off requests and focus on your priorities.
14. Utilize time-blocking
Another way to ensure productivity is the popular method of time-blocking.
Try the Pomodoro Technique, where you set a timer for 25 minutes and allow yourself a small break of less than five minutes afterward.
By working in sprints, you condition your brain to stay hyper-focused and steer free of distractions. Then, rewarding yourself with a small break makes the work easier to grind through.
If this technique doesn’t make sense for you, try more traditional time-blocking by reserving a few hours a day with zero interruptions. Dedicate yourself and hold yourself accountable if you do not respect this time to get things done.
15. Learn to delegate
A popular resolution for this coming year is seeking help from others by delegating more of your duties.
Many bosses or type-A personalities, aka the typical entrepreneur, find it difficult to parse out tasks and seem to tackle massive projects themselves.
Give your employees more responsibility, hire a freelancer to complete a temporary project or find a part-time staffer or intern. You’re bound to accomplish more when you learn to delegate.
Personal
16. Be a better boss
Who doesn’t want to improve themselves this year? Invest in yourself and dedicate 2020 to becoming a better leader.
Start by reading some business or self-help books like these top picks from Forbes. Enroll in an online course from sites like Udemy or MasterClass to strengthen a skill.
Better yet, take time this year to truly connect with your employees. Schedule a team-building experience, host one-on-one interviews to pick their brains and show your team how you’re pushing yourself to be the best leader possible.
17. Make healthier decisions
What is a New Year’s resolution list without a health goal?
Kiss your bad habits from 2019 goodbye and look forward to smarter and healthier decisions in all aspects of life. Health and wellness is more popular than ever and their importance is growing, especially as it relates to productivity.
With habit tracking apps, meal delivery services, virtual gym classes and other technologies making health easier, many are jumping onto the bandwagon and looking inward.
Encourage your staff to make better decisions by ordering healthier snacks for the break room or subsidizing gym memberships. Many health insurance companies actually offer benefits to businesses who offer healthy options.
18. Take a vacation
Use your Instagram feed as some motivation to get out of town and plan a proper vacation. That means leaving your laptop at home and spending some quality time enjoying all that’s around you and not on your iPhone screen.
While it’s nerve-racking to go off the grid, you’ll come back fully recharged and ready to jump back into work.
Related: How to take a vacation when you’re a solopreneur
19. Prioritize mental health
While hitting the gym or eating less carbs is healthy in general, mental health has been at the top of everyone’s radar lately.
Mental health has been a topic of conversation around the world as people are realizing how terrible and common disorders like anxiety have become.
There are many ways to live out this resolution, but highlighting mental illnesses and seeking help is going to be a big trend in 2020.
20. Learn from your mistakes
Take some time in early 2020 to reflect on last year. Think about both the wins and losses and why those outcomes came to pass. Could failures have been avoided? Were some of your successes due to unrealized factors?
Find ways to replicate the good and enforce strategies to steer clear of the bad. Don’t make the same mistakes twice!
Ring in the new year
No matter what business you are building, all brands have some common goals leading into 2020.
Entrepreneur New Year’s resolutions are a fun and effective way to accomplish this year’s goals if you do your best to plan them accordingly.
A little progress every day quickly adds up, so start small and soon you’ll be smashing your resolutions this year!
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