10 Business Goals to Set for 2018

As 2017 nears its finish, businesses everywhere should start tightening up their end of the year goals. Setting new challenges for your business is a great way to prepare for future success.

No matter how successful your year was, your business could always stand to improve. Reacquainting yourself with your past goals and creating new ones is a necessary step for any business owner as the year comes to a close. Read on for some of best business goals to set in 2018.

1. Revamp Your Social Media Strategy

Whether or not your business’ social media strategy is going full throttle, there is always an opportunity to take your presence on social media to the next level. This may require seeking out the services of a marketing firm or getting your in-house team to crack down on their strategies.

2. Up Your Marketing Game

As you turn your focus to more socially media minded work, be sure to understand what it is you are trying to achieve—essentially generating more leads and connecting with more consumers. Using social media and traditional marketing methods, take this time to set new marketing goals for your business.

3. Improving Customer Loyalty

Loyal customers are a must for all businesses, regardless of the year. As you plan for 2018, be sure to make a big push to retain your loyal customers. Many businesses have a loyalty program that allows returning customers to gain points as they are more inclined to pursue continuous business with your company. With reward programs, new customers will have even more incentive to return to your company as they see it will be fruitful. As more customers see the benefits of staying loyal to your company, your new loyalty program will easily start to attract first time buyers.

4. Elevate Your Employee Engagement

The level of your business’ employee engagement is directly linked to your customers’ satisfaction. Employees that are actively engaged and knowledgeable of their company pass on that enthusiasm to consumers. Customers will always have a better connection with employees that are positive, as opposed to a business with employees that are begrudgingly getting through the day.

To increase a business’ level of employee engagement, business owners should focus on ways to give back to their employees. A business may want to try starting a program that rewards one employee each month. This will encourage employees to do their best while assuring them that the company values them.

5. Invest in Better Tech

In order to make it in today’s world, a business has to be as tech savvy as possible. This means businesses should invest in new software to improve business processes. If your company has fallen behind in the technology department, make it a point to step your tech game up in 2018.

Refusing to change with the times can mean leaving the best years of your business in the past. You can use software tools to automate everything from invoicing to your disaster recovery planning. It just might take some initial investment.

Once you get your business up to date with the latest technology, you will realize your investment was worth it. Businesses that are already tech savvy should continue to seek out new ways to improve and upgrade.

6. Research New Markets

A new year gives you a new opportunity for your business to reach out to different markets. If you are considering growing your business, it is a good idea to get a fresh assessment of your target market and ideal demographic.

7. Expand Your Business

Whatever the case, businesses should never be afraid to expand. Expanding your company won’t compromise your business— it will actually make it stronger. While businesses should nurture the relationships they have built with their base of loyal customers, in order to reach an untapped market, businesses need to go where they haven’t been before.

8. Set Larger and Smaller Goals

A new year is always so full of promise. However, planning for 2018 shouldn’t always be kept to a 12-month schedule. In order for your goals to actually be realized, it is important to set larger goals, as well as smaller ones. As you plan for the New Year, make sure to set goals that will account for the next several years of your company.

9. Focus on Employee Benefits

It is a great idea to take your employees’ benefits to a new level this coming year. This doesn’t necessarily mean that salaries should increase or anything quite as drastic. Most employees today value the benefits of working from home, having access to resources that will aid in career development, reduced work hours during the summer, a dedicated area for breaks, opportunities to gain experience in other departments and the like.

Consider asking your employees what kind of benefits they would be interested in. Taking the time to focus on what your employees are hoping for will give you a better night into what makes them tick, while simultaneously allowing them to see that what is important to them is important to you.

10. Go Green

Many companies have already significantly reduced their carbon footprint by choosing to go paperless. Instead of keeping their copy machine busy, these companies keep all newsletters, memo, notes, and other sensitive information, virtual.

If you have yet to consider your business’ plan of action for the new year, take some time now to make 2018 the year that your company chooses to focus on becoming the best.

By Susan Ranford	Embed
Author Bio - Susan Ranford is an expert on job market trends, hiring, and business management. She is the Community Outreach Coordinator for New York Jobs. In her blogging and writing, she seeks to shed light on issues related to employment, business, and finance to help others understand different industries and find the right job fit for them.