December is a busy month for businesses! Not only are they filling orders and running holiday sales, but also they’re planning for the new year. Fortunately, there are some easy things you can do during the month of December to get your business ready without interfering with your holiday efforts. After all, there are many things that can wait until next year.
Every business is different, but here are some tips that should help out any company, big or small. Better yet, your business will be in a better position come January, giving you the edge over your competitors.
Show Your Giving Side
The holidays aren’t just about receiving – they are a time for giving, too. Charitable contributions are good for business because they enhance your wellbeing, better your community and give you new opportunities. There are many ways to give back – you don’t have to do a standard donation. You can volunteer your team to work at a local soup kitchen, launch a fundraiser or donate a percentage of your sales to charity.
Focus on Customer Service
Every transaction is important during the holidays, as they’ll be a mix of new and existing customers. But just as you’re going to be focused on providing great customer service, so will your competitors. So find ways to be extraordinary during the holidays. Following up with customers after a purchase, sending a coupon or starting a loyalty program can go the extra mile in making an impression on your customers.
Set Your High-Level Goals
Surely, you want to grow your business over the next year, but what does that mean exactly? Think about how you want to grow your business. If you don’t have capacity for more customers, you can grow your business in other ways, such as by raising rates, exploring new product/service offerings or bringing on new perks. If you do have enough capacity for new clients, how many will help you reach your goals?
Consider Automation
Not everything needs to be automated, but many things can. By doing so, you can save time and money. If you haven’t yet, consider automating things like transactional emails, invoices, evergreen marketing campaigns and administrative tasks. Rather than doing these repetitive tasks on your own, marketing automation software will do them for you! And it’s possible to personalize your messages so that they feel relevant and special.
Think About Your Taxes
December is a great time to sit down with your accountant or financial advisor and discuss tax responsibilities. You can find out if you’ve overpaid or underpaid. If you did underpay, you’ll want to know now, as this will give you more time to prepare. Also talk to your tax professional about what to expect in terms of tax deductions and local tax laws.
Review Your Marketing Strategy
Give some attention to your marketing plan. Analyze your numbers to see what you did right and what needs work. Set new benchmarks to achieve your target ROI. Remember, your marketing strategy isn’t set in stone. You should be able to easily make changes and updates based on the landscape. If you don’t already outsource some of your marketing tasks, now is the time to look into this. A marketing firm can take stress off your plate and open up new opportunities to grow and strengthen your business.
WSI Internet Partners would love the opportunity to look over your business objectives for the new year and how we can help you reach them! Contact us today to discuss your goals and how to take your business to the next level.
