New Year’s resolutions your small business should start working on

If you’re a small business owner, you would agree that 2020 was a year of disruption and uncertainty. As we begin this new year, many of us wish to forget the negatives and remain hopeful that 2021 will fulfil the promise of economic recovery and more. While hoping for the best, setting goals and strategising the most effective methods to achieving them is the most important practice when planning for the year. 

2020 proved that small businesses have to constantly grow and evolve to keep up with the market, which makes 2021 an opportunity to evaluate where a business has been and create goals to determine where it is headed. 

It is important to keep in mind that New Year’s resolutions are year-long commitments and not month-long efforts that can only be tackled in January. If you have yet to establish New Year’s resolutions for your small business in 2021, here are some options that will ensure progression: 

Create a strong online presence 

For 21st century businesses, an online presence is critical. Web users need to be able to find the offerings of your business and connect with you virtually. Building a website enables this engagement. 

With tools such as DreamHost and WordPress, you will be able to reach prospective customers in your sleep — meaning your business will not be limited to a brick-and-mortar location. 

To grow your business, you will need to rank high if you want sales. 81% of shoppers conduct online research on products before making a purchase, but 75% of people never scroll past the first page of search engine results. SEO is one of the most effective ways to rank higher in search engines and increase visibility. 

Become mobile-friendly

The next step after creating a comprehensive website, is to optimise it for use on mobile devices. 61% of users are unlikely to return to a mobile site they had trouble accessing, and 40% will click out and seek out the services of a competitor. 

Internet Retailer reports that 66% of e-commerce time is being consumed on smartphones. These numbers prove that mobile-optimisation can affect nearly every aspect of your small business, from brand building, traffic generating to customer service. 

Create a remote company culture 

Due to the pandemic, many organisations, small and big, have found themselves operating indefinitely with a remote workforce. According to findings from Gallup research in October 2020, 33% of US workers are working remotely. Moreover, almost two-thirds of these workers want to continue to work remotely. 

A remote team can benefit small businesses in multiple ways by bringing in diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and talents. Is it crucial to stay focused on the “team” element, regardless of whether you are managing off-site employees or independent contractors. 

Utilise technology 

Technology makes our lives easier every day and utilising its benefits can help your small business reach its full potential. Look for areas of your business that can be automated and utilise software that can make the processes of invoicing, managing inventory, customer service, bookkeeping and sales easier. 

Not only can automation by technology cut down on the chance of manual errors, it can also give your employees more time to focus on tasks that are more important.

Go paperless 

Going paperless was all the rage in 2017, and many organisations have made attempts to go fully paperless over the years. When businesses all over the world were forced online in early 2020 due to COVID-19, it proved to be a goal that was never really accomplished. 

From client records to employee data, remote work has proved that 24/7 digital accessibility is more important now than ever before. Additionally, going paperless as one of your New Year’s resolutions will help strengthen the health of the environment.