2024 is coming along fast and, if like us, you are busy working on your plans to make it your BEST year ever in business, you might find these simple Do’s and Don’ts worth keeping in mind.
So, we thought we’d share.
Do…..Practice these four habits
- Surround yourself with people who support you – as an entrepreneur and business owner, it’s easy to feel you have to do it all alone. But attempting to do everything solo will burn you out fast. Having all skills and perspectives covered on your own is impossible! The smart entrepreneurs know surrounding themselves with collaborators and mentors is crucial for growth. Welcoming different viewpoints prevents you from getting lost in your own head, while brainstorming with fellow entrepreneurs keeps motivation and creativity firing. Most importantly, having capable, supportive people cheer you on and lend a hand when needed will give you the confidence to power through the inevitable entrepreneurial struggles.
- Leave the fear behind – Progressing as an entrepreneur involves getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. We know remaining inside your comfort zone may feel safer or easier, but the entrepreneurial journey often requires the courage to step outside it. While feeling uncomfortable at times is part of the experience, embracing this allows for creativity, problem-solving, and personal growth. It pushes you to sharpen skills, build resilience when confronted by the unfamiliar, and create the capacity to ultimately drive your goals forward.
- Set clear and achievable goals for success – Setting clear, doable goals gives your business a roadmap to follow for the year ahead. But the trick is keeping those goals realistic alongside your biggest dreams. Aim too high and you’ll just get discouraged. Too low? You lose that sense of purpose and challenge. The goal-setting sweet spot lives between stretching yourself and knowing your current abilities. Ask yourself – where do I envision my business in 12 months based on what’s possible right now? Frame concrete targets around revenue, customers, expansion plans or team growth. Then, break it down into chunks you can action each quarter and month that will add up to the ultimate goal.
- Make time for self-care activities – Being a business owner is a constant juggling act, but it’s crucial not to forget the most important ball in the air: yourself. Recharging through activities you love, getting enough sleep, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance will improve productivity and creativity in your business. Your business needs you at your best, and that begins with taking care of yourself.
Don’t…..Make these mistakes in your small business:
- Neglect your social media presence – Not having a social media strategy nowadays is like tying one hand behind your back as a small business owner. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram aren’t just digital playgrounds – they offer excellent opportunities to get the word out about your company and connect with potential customers. Ignoring social media means fewer people will know of your brand or what you offer. And you miss out on chances to engage with leads and build real relationships. So your business won’t grow as quickly without it. Luckily, with some time invested in social media posting and ads, you can showcase your products, highlight your brand personality, and grow a community of raving fans.
- Focusing solely on sales – It’s tempting for entrepreneurs to fixate narrowly on making sales when trying to grow a small business. However, an overly transactional approach often limits your success. Instead, aim to nurture loyalty and community through outstanding service, social media conversations, and entertaining content. The goal is to organically cultivate raving fans who actively share and recommend you within their networks. This community-building expands your reach exponentially more than any ad or sales rep alone. It lays the foundation for sales growth over the long term by earning meaningful mindshare. Be patient in playing the long game, not simply focused on each immediate sale.
- Lack of consistency – It’s easy for startups to fall into an inconsistent rhythm—posting on social media in fits and spurts, letting service quality fluctuate, or failing to reliably keep in touch with customers. But when a small business lacks consistency, it ends up looking unreliable or even untrustworthy in the eyes of customers. Instead, successful entrepreneurs build steadfast reputations by maintaining dependable consistency in all areas. This means regularly posting engaging content that aligns with your brand voice, delivering products and services according to predictable schedules, and sticking to defined policies for interacting with customers. Companies that do what they say they’ll do, stick to clear operating procedures, and match words with actions…these are the brands that earn brand loyalty and community support.
- Ignoring customer feedback – It’s tempting for business owners to get locked into their own vision or ego when it comes to improving products and services. But customer feedback should never be ignored; it presents one of the most direct and effective ways to enhance what you offer customers. Rather than stubbornly overlooking issues customers raise, let their input guide you towards better meeting their needs. This feedback is invaluable market intel straight from the source. So stay open and receptive to any less-than-perfect reviews that come your way. When people feel genuinely heard and see their feedback spur real change, it develops valuable brand loyalty.
What are some of your Do’s and Don’ts that help you focus on what matters in your business?
Not sure? Then get in touch and let’s fix that!
