20 Things You Can Do to Set Your Business up for Success Next Year

Success leaves clues and if you’re already thinking about the type of year you’d like to have next year, this list is the perfect way to start. After working with hundreds of business owners over the past decade, I’ve noticed some habits, patterns and approaches that can help you to fast track the success you are looking for in business.

Recently I was reminded of something I said a number of years ago “Total freedom equals total responsibility.”

The same can be said for setting yourself and your business up for success in the future—it requires total responsibility and commitment from you.

Here are 20 things you can do right now to plan for a successful year in your business:

1. Know Where You Stand

Become hyper-aware of your sales year-to-date and estimate how you’re going to finish the year so you know what baseline you’re continuing on from.

2. Get Clear on Your Goal

Consider the increase in sales you want to accomplish for next year and write it down so you have crystal clarity on your numbers.

3. Break Down That Goal

Determine how many new clients you need in order to reach those sales goals. Get super clear on precisely what you need to sell, and how many of those sales you need to reach your goals.

4. Product Evaluation

Evaluate the products and services you currently sell and look at which ones you should keep, which ones you should eliminate, and which ones need to go up in price.

5. Know Your Costs

Conduct an assessment of your expenses so you can estimate what it’s going to cost to run your business next year. Estimate that your costs may go up by 10-20% due to the inflation we are experiencing. If you haven’t listened to Pricing for Profit During Inflation, do that too.

6. Analyze Your Marketing

Think about your marketing efforts from the past year, what worked, what didn’t work and what content you want to create to attract people to you for next year.

7. Stack Your Team

Consider who you need on your team, the specific skills, roles, and resources you need to reach your goals.

8. Taxes, Taxes, Taxes

Start planning your taxes today. Knowing what you owe in taxes shouldn’t be a shock to the financial system, be aware of your taxes, anticipate what you are going to owe, and start planning to set aside the money now. Pro tip: Make monthly payments based on what you owed last year!

9. Get Up Close and Personal With Your Website Metrics

Review your website traffic and assess what you can do to grow this metric. This might include a combination of organic and paid social media marketing, online or in-person networking and relationship-building, or seeking out other ways to expand your reach.

10. Plan to Expand Your Reach

Consider your visibility. How can you attract more people who don’t already know you so that you are increasing the size of your following?

11. Ask For Feedback

Come up with questions you can ask your favourite customers that will give you ideas in terms of how to do a better job at marketing and/or offering products and services next year. The best way to attract more of your ideal buyers is to really understand what they need and how you can best help them.

12. Consider Your Cash Flow

Look at your cash flow situation and ask yourself what your cash flow goals are for this time next year. Know how much money you have in the bank now and how much money you want to have? Pro Tip: Always strive to finish the year with more money in the bank than you had at the same time a year ago. This is one strong way to build a healthy balance sheet.

13. Protect Your Time

Know exactly how many days you want to work next year and how many days you want to take off. Does the number of days and hours you want to be available to work align with the sales goals you want to reach?

14. Don’t Forget About Past and Current Clients

Brainstorm ways to expand the business that you do with your existing clients. Create a plan to offer them new products and services regularly.

15. Increase Your Fees

Think about how to position an increase in fees for any of the products and services you offer. You may need to get creative here in order to repackage some of what you sell so you don’t offend or surprise people.

16. Strengthen Your Email Community

Consider the size of your mailing list and ask yourself, “What can I do to increase the size of my mailing list next year?

17. Ask For Testimonials and Referrals

Don’t be shy. Create a plan in your calendar to ensure that you regularly ask for recommendations, testimonials, and referrals.

18. Understand Your Conversion Rate

Evaluate your conversion rate and assess your sales process and sales pages to identify opportunities to improve how you sell and convert new business.

19. Be of Value

Brainstorm additional ways to provide value for your audience because when you provide greater value, your audience rewards you by sharing.

20. Rocks, Pebbles, Sand

Think about the rocks, pebbles, and sand in your business, if you don’t know what this means, it’s really how you leverage your growth by focusing on the things that add up the fastest. Join me on November 30th to learn more about this one strategy and how it can transform the way you look at lead generation and sales.

It’s been a long time since I offered a free webinar, but next year is going to be a different year for you if you own a business. You need to be prepared for market changes in order to profit-proof your business, and this webinar will help you think differently, strategize with confidence, and get your sales and forecasting in order so you start the new year strong.

Click here to save your seat for this cost-free webinar on Tuesday, November 30th, 2021!