As we head into the New Year we often reflect back and think ahead for what’s yet to come. Oftentimes these thoughts are centered around relationships, personal growth, or individual achievements. Now is a great time to start a new habit of including your small business in those reflections and goal setting.
Small Businesses are a Constant Evolution
As small business owners, we are constantly learning and adjusting as we go. Sometimes our business voice, marketing, or policies can fatigue without us noticing, as we are wearing so many hats on a daily basis. So, instead of relying on your memory to think to review how your business presents itself to customers, we recommend marking it on your calendar. Dedicate time to review all of your customer-facing materials every 6-12 months, or more frequently if you have a big life change, your business offerings are updated, or you relocate.
Here are some things to take a look at as we head into the New Year:
- Review your schedule & availability. As your business has grown and Dumpling has added features, as yourself: “Are my business settings optimized to support my ideal workflow?”
- Check your store list & pricing. Dumpling is always updating stores, so there may be more you’d like to add (In the Boss app Business tab there is an “add” button in the ‘Stores and Services’ section where you can browse).Also, you are able to set pricing per store, so you can adjust based on which stores you prefer to shop at. Don’t forget to add “Pick a store” if you want your customers to have the option to add local favorites!
- When is the last time you updated your profile? Does it reflect the level of experience you now have or any niches you have leaned into?
- Do a profile check. Does the photo you use on your profile or your social media marketing need an update? What about the links, phone numbers, headers, or descriptions on those pages?
- Take a look at any automated messaging you have set up. When is the last time you looked at the auto-messaging feature in the Boss app? Do those still reflect the tone you would like to greet new customers with?
Determine What Success Looks and Feels Like For You & Set Goals Around That
When we reflect back on the last year we can find insight into what worked well and what didn’t. Ask yourself questions such as ‘How many new customers did I serve? How many orders did I complete?’. From there you can decide what success may look like for you now and set reasonable goals for yourself for the coming year. Were there challenges in your business that you would like to let go of in the coming year? For example, maybe you are now busier with orders and struggling with time management. It can make sense to see if you can now afford to outsource a task (or several!) so that you can better focus on the parts of your business that are more enjoyable for you. It can even be as simple as becoming more organized with everyday details, like milage tracking, to reduce your headache at tax time. Maybe there are new skills you’d like to learn or different networks of people you would like to introduce to your services.
If you ever need assistance with setting reasonable business goals you can reach our Coaching team in the Message Center of your Boss app.