Now that all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is over, it is time to get down to business and plan for the upcoming year. Taking time at the beginning of the year to do everything from planning your website setup to financials can set you up for a very successful year.
Set yourself up for success in 2018 with these helpful business planning tips.
Planning Tips for 2018 Picture By: marcoverch
Tip 1 – Take a Closer Look at Your Business Website and Internet Presence
How your website looks, what social media platforms you use and whether or not you are using modern SEO techniques could play a huge role in whether or not you have a successful 2018. Take a few moments to assess the following things:
- Overall look and design of your business website
- Social media platform evaluation – are there ones you are neglecting, ones you should try using, could you improve the frequency of posts on some?
- SEO techniques used – is your website SEO friendly and able to be found by search engines?
- Verify your website and social media platforms have the latest, updated information for your business
Tip 2 – Reassess Your Current Budget
The first of the year is a good time to reassess your current budget. Some of the things you may want to do to reassess your budget include:
- Go over your financial outlook for the year and make any changes to reflect the new year
- Evaluate services and other things you offer to make sure you are still operating at a profit
- Check with your bank to make sure your accounts are set up in the best way to maximise your profits
Tip 3 – Keep Learning, No Matter What
Even if you have worked in the same industry for decades, it is important to keep learning. At the start of the new year take the time to see what conferences and educational classes may be available. These can be a great resource which can give you the skills and information you need to grow your business.
If you oversee multiple employees, you may want to consider signing up for group retreats where everyone can gain additional training and further their learning. Remember, the more your employees know, the more likely your entire business will succeed.
Tip 4 – Evaluate Your Networking
The connections you make while networking can really help advance your business. Unfortunately, networking is something that you need to do on a constant basis and the start of the year is the best time to evaluate whether or not you are leveraging your networking opportunities.
Some of the things to consider include:
- Use of social media to network
- Attending business meetings and conferences
- Networking with other businesses within the local area
- Joining local commerce groups to expand your networking opportunities
Tip 5 – Evaluate Your Business Travel Needs
Think about how much you will be travelling in the upcoming year. Will you be attending conferences or going to business meetings? Do you or your employees need to travel?
If you plan on scheduling in travel, both internationally and locally, you may want to consider looking to open up a corporate account at Ace Airport Parking. Our Melbourne airport parking facility provides you and your employees with a stress-free way to travel. We have a range of corporate parking options to suit all business sizes and budgets, with competitive pricing, high security 24/7 parking, award-winning service and convenient account management and reporting. Contact us today to discuss your corporate account needs.
Photo credit: marcoverch on Visual hunt / CC BY
