Once we’ve gotten over any post-Christmas blues, January ushers in the chance to take positive action, be more effective and achieve our goals.

We’d all like to start a New Year ready to shake off the ups and downs of the previous 12 months and face the challenges ahead. This can be easier said than done. Even if we start out with a burst of enthusiasm and motivation, it can soon dwindle away to nothing. Will those new running shoes end up collecting dust? That gym membership go unused?

It’s the same for businesses. You may start the New Year with a renewed determination to shake things up, hit targets or supercharge productivity, but it’s all too easy to get swept up in the daily demands of running your business. Before you know it, another year is over and you’re no closer to achieving your goals.

But not this time. No; you’re going to own 2019, so let’s dive right in. Here’s our expert guide on how to uplevel your business and power your growth…

Health Check…

A wilting plant doesn’t have the strength to grow. So before you launch ambitious growth plans, take a look at your company’s current health. What were the results from last year and what can you learn from them? Are there any areas of operations that could be more efficient/productive? Can you identify any barriers holding growth back? Anything that slows down your processes needs to be identified and addressed. You’ll need your house in order before you can really start to uplevel your business.

It’s also wise to look at external factors. Check-in on what your competitors are up to and take a broad view of the current market conditions. Are there changes afoot in the economy, political climate or consumer demands and expectations that you need to know about? Looking at the bigger picture helps keep your business one step ahead.

Re-Brand…

Nothing revitalises a business more than a re-brand. If your branding (meaning your logo, company colours, website, or your messaging) is looking tired or outdated, you need to give it a new lease of life. Give your website, marketing literature, vehicle liveries and anything else your customers come into contact with when dealing with your business that extra wow-factor that hits them right between the eyes. It’ll give staff a boost too when they see positive changes. It makes a statement that you’re committed to developing your company and looking to the future.

If your branding is just in need of a quick pep-up, it’s amazing what a subtle change of font or colours can do, or a rewrite of your marketing materials. Or if your website is sluggish, not mobile optimised or simply not user-friendly, it’s time to get it working for you rather than against you. A complete website audit and re-configure could be in order. It’ll take investment, but it will pay you back tenfold. This is real-deal business uplevelling.

Get Techy…

Are you taking full advantage of technology to make your business run like a well-oiled machine? Tech may be a mystery to you but a few small changes in your operation can fast-forward you to the next level.

Cloud computing and workflow applications can revolutionise the way your people work. Systems such as Dropbox, Google Docs, shared calendars and worksheets all aid efficiency and make sure your teams are on the same page. No more duplicated tasks, missed deadlines or work bottlenecks. Perhaps think about taking your accounts and invoicing online too and eliminate that end-of-the-tax-year rummage through paperwork.

If marketing is soaking up your staff time and focus, take a look at how you could streamline or outsource it. Consider automating your lead generation with an inbound marketing funnel. Once set up this can largely take care of itself, firing out carefully targeted content and messaging to your existing and potential customers and bringing leads to your door. Or embrace video on your social channels to ramp up your search engine rankings. Speaking of which…

Social Media…

If you’ve been slow to jump on the social media bandwagon, 2019 is the time to get on board. It’s a simple, low-risk and low cost way of promoting your business, connecting with customers and building your brand. If you’re selling direct to customers, setting up a Facebook page is super-easy and costs nothing. You will have to dedicate time to keeping the page up to date and populating it with content, but it is absolutely worth it. Your customers are already there; if you’re not then you’re missing a trick. Facebook advertising can be relatively low cost and their tools allow you to get pretty specific on who you want to see your ad.

Basically, you can’t afford to ignore social media. Your competitors are doing it; your customers are doing it. Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or any other platform, choose one that will best connect you with your target customer and just get tweeting, pinning or posting.

Set Goals…

It’s good to be ambitious but don’t get carried away. You probably wouldn’t set your local seven-a-side team the task of winning the FA Cup in one season. Your goals need to be realistic and split into manageable milestones. They also need to be measurable and specific, otherwise how do you know if you’ve achieved them? For example, instead of saying you want to increase sales, set how much you want to increase them by and in what timeframe.

You might have a vague sense of where you want to improve or how you want to grow, but writing down your goals and setting out a plan on how to reach them will crystallise the task and make sure you don’t just put it to the back of your mind. Share your goals throughout your business and work to get staff on board and committed to achieving them.

Innovate…

It’s survival of the fittest out there. Darwin was right – you either evolve or you’re extinct. If you don’t want your business to get left behind, you have to keep innovating. This doesn’t have to be a ground-breaking revelation. It could mean tweaking your product or service offering, changing the way you communicate with customers or the way you deliver what you do or make.

Innovation is a tricky one because you can’t just make it happen. It’s not like turning on a light bulb. You have to create conditions for innovative thinking to thrive within your business. Give your employees the opportunity to contribute new ideas and build creativity into the fabric of your company.

You could start off by introducing a staff suggestion box. It’s a super-simple way of kick-starting new thinking and fresh ideas. If you want to get serious about innovation, the sky’s the limit. You can create specialist research and development teams, work it into your business plans or routinely dedicate time to brainstorming sessions.

Uplevel Your Business For 2019…

So, now you know where to start to give your business a boost in 2019. Deciding where to make changes is a big deal, but putting those changes into practice and maintaining them is even more important. If you decide you need a little help, Team Acrylic is ready and waiting. We’re a full service creative digital marketing agency helping local businesses in Northwich, Middlewich, and the surrounding areas of Cheshire and the North West find the success they deserve. Find out how we can help you uplevel your business in 2019 and book a free consultation below. You’ll get a one-to-one chat about your goals, objectives and business, followed by a bespoke marketing plan tailored to the specific needs of your company. All completely free with no obligation…

Author Profile

Nick Simpson

Acrylic Digital’s co-founder and director Nick Simpson is a marketing magician and the brains behind the business development side of our team. Keeping our customers happy and making sure we deliver maximum ROI to each and every one is a bit of an obsession of his.
Get to know him...

• Social Media MarketingMay 30, 2022How To Create a Social Media Template For A Powerful Online Presence
• NewsMay 23, 2022What Is Branding And Why Is Your Brand Important?
• Business DevelopmentJanuary 27, 2020Everything You Need To Know About Local Online Marketing
• Business DevelopmentDecember 2, 2019Why Marketing Your Business Is A Full-Time Job You Need To Do