Top Ten ways to Jump Start Your New Year

 The Christmas decorations are all taken down, and the party hats and noisemakers put away for another year. It’s time to forget about the holiday parties and get serious about getting back to business. Personal resolutions aside, how can you kick off 2012 to make it your best year ever for yourself, your clients and your staff?

Here are a few suggestions for taking advantage of the fresh start offered by a new year. Some are practical, others more motivational, but either way they will help you start the year off right!

1. Accentuate the Positive
You can incentivise your staff for the year ahead by starting the year off with an emphasis on progress. Start off by acknowledging the progress both big and small, made by your team in the year just passed. This kind of recognition makes them feel good emotionally, and will motivate them to do even more in the coming year. Then create a climate for progress by clearly setting your goals for the upcoming year. Include broad goals for progress, and specific small milestones that can be accomplished, documented and recognised. 

 2. By The Books
Even though the new year doesn’t exactly coincide with the fiscal year, if you are the type of small business owner who shows up at their accountant’s office with a shoebox full of receipts and other haphazardly kept records, it’s past time you considered upgrading to an accounting software program. There are several easy to use ones out there designed especially for small or retail businesses. If you are intimidated by software, or just do not have the time to do your books yourself, consider hiring a bookkeeping service, or you might even be able to recruit the help of an accounting student for little or no charge.

3. Update HR Policies
Maybe you had issues last year that bogged down productivity because you did not have firm, easy to follow policies in place for things such as vacation time, overtime, sick days, etc. If you do not have such policies in place, or if they need to be revised, take the time at the beginning of the year to be sure all of your staff clearly understand your HR policies. It will save you a lot of hassles down the line. 

4. Your Online Presence
If you have yet to take advantage of the many ways the internet can boost your business, now is the time to do so. If you already have a website, or have been using social network marketing, take a minute or two to evaluate if you are using them as effectively as possible. Have you considered a blog? Many small business owners recognise the value of building communities, and social network marketing, but do not have the time or expertise to implement such strategies. Perhaps you may want to consider speaking to an internet marketing consultant to kick-start your online identity for 2012 and beyond.  

5. Move Forward by Backing-up
If you did not have an adequate plan in place to back-up your data last year, and got by unscathed, count your blessings. Do not continue to take such a risk, and be sure you initiate some kind of storage solution to see that your data is secure in the event of a natural or physical disaster.

6. Onboarding New Hires
If the new year has brought with it new employees, make them feel welcome and part of the team right out of the box. Make sure they have a clean desk or workspace, maybe give them a welcome aboard card, and be sure to set them up with a mentoring employee who can answer all of their questions.

7. Evaluate your Branding
Who were you in 2011? Did you have a clear identity? Is it the same one you want to project in 2012? As the year starts off, it is a perfect time to take a close look at your messaging, and make sure that your ‘brand’ is connecting with your intended audience.

8. A Resolution for Public Relations
Make a resolution that you will get the word out there in 2012. Commit to putting out at least one press release and attending at least one networking event every month over the next 12.

9. Take a Chance
Why not use the new year to take a shot at something that last year you thought was a little too risky? Now, don’t get stupid, just consider doing something in terms of your marketing or advertising strategy that is a little quirky, a little ‘outside of the box’. Stop letting fear hold you back, but do not just think about it. Actually decide on something specific that is taking a chance for you, but may propel your business forward – and do it!

10. Open your eyes - and Ears

Did you bring in a bunch of new customers in 2011? Want to keep them coming back in 2012? Speak to them and listen to their thoughts. Consider developing and using a customer satisfaction survey. There is no better time than the new year to address your client base, ask them, “What did we do right last year?”, “What did we do wrong?” and, “What can we do to improve?” Thank them for their participation with an incentive or coupon.

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