December 31st 2015 was not just the date when a business owner needed to party hard to bid adieu to all his past achievements and failures, but it was also the perfect time to prepare a list of resolutions he must adhere to once the ball drops. Now that January has commenced its journey, it is better to be late than never if you are not ready with your resolutions yet!
A new year means new goals, and a fresh chance to reach greater heights. So the resolutions can be both lifestyle or business-oriented, but every single one of them must focus towards success, and make an entrepreneur a better human being on both personal and professional grounds.
Let us start hitting the hammer on the nails without further ado. What are the essential resolves that must be a part of the New Year’s Resolutions list of every business owner in 2016?
Resolution No.1: “I will rely completely on Data-Driven decisions”
This is your number one priority!
With such a paramount pressure to succeed in the rat race, the biggest mistake business owners make nowadays is relying on their instincts. Nothing, and I mean nothing, in the market works according to individual gut feelings. Be it coming up with an ideal pricing strategy or A/B split testing to check out the conversion variations, your rate of success will depend on how much you are depending on real marketing facts.
Make good use of online tools like Kissmetrics and Google Analytics to take business decisions based on calculated data. No offence, but leave your instincts on doing something else please!
Resolution No.2: “I will focus more on Brand Building than earning money”
“Money talks, and it is power!” is one such inevitable truth we start realizing from a very early age. True, but not a completely true statement if you are out there to make a name for yourself. Your products and services will define you nonetheless; but why will people come to buy your products or avail your services if your business is not a reputed or familiar name to them?
Forget about earning big bucks this year, and just be content with your returning customers. Let 2015 be the year where you will focus your energy on building your brand and creating a foot-board that will reflect your values and make you more globally comprehensive in the long run. Once you have worked hard to make your brand easily recognizable, new customers will automatically want to be a part of you.
Ignore the person who earns millions without putting much effort. Hard work pays off real sweet, and the flavor is a long-lasting one.
Resolution No.3: “I will let Marketing Automation take over”
When it comes to building a brand or reaching out to prospects, I hope you realize that these things take a lot of strategic calculations… in short, time. Long story short, you will lose out working on these essential angles if you are busy with less important things like scheduling posts, managing emails and sorting through customer journeys.
And hence, marketing automation is your savior. Reliable MATs (Marketing Automation Tools) in the market like Pardot and Marketo can resolve this issue by sending out auto-generated reports on time. But MATs are more than that; in fact, they are designed to serve a greater purpose, and hence they are essential across all industries.
MATs are specialized “weapons” that can help a business owner prepare his marketing approach. With exact conversion data and triggers, the work itself becomes streamlined and thus, it reduces the chances of error and increase efficiency.
Resolution No.4: “I will be more Generous and Thankful to my employees”
Why are employees unsatisfied with the work, and why do they leave? In the end, the continuous cycle of hiring employees and their resignation after a few months will only hurt you and your business. You keep on pouring your resources for converting them into company assets, but somehow, they just end up abandoning your ship.
Researches show that the primary reason for an employee to leave a company is a feeling of being unwanted. While you are busy to maneuver the ship as its captain, you should never forget that each and every employee is assisting you with all his might. Interact with them more often, and appreciate and acknowledge them for being important cogs of the machine.
And lastly, never forget to go a step further to show that you trust them and you are thankful for their work. It will not only earn you greater respect as the leader, but also solidify your position as a great human being.
Resolution No.5: “I will save some time for myself too”
Do not overdo it, ever! Just like your business, you are a machine too… but a machine that runs the risk of wearing out a lot faster. Be it building a brand or earning money through it, everything will require you to be patient. You need to reserve some time for your personal life as well. Go home to your family, talk to them, read a book or watch a movie, have a good night sleep, and wake up early. Trust me, you will be able to work better.
And it holds the same for your employees too. Do not burden them with excessive workload so much so that they will have to work extra hours. A good leader will never do such a thing!
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