Woohhooo! We made it through another year as business owners. While you continue to finish 2017 strongly, there are plenty of ways you can get yourself prepared for the New Year, as a small business owner.
50 Ways Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs Can Prepare For the New Year
- Finish any unfinished content pieces, videos, visuals, blogs, articles, etc., which speak to you.
- Purge those content ideas you don’t want to finish.
- Buy new journals for various projects to keep your ideas organized.
- Update your website.
- Add a few new pieces to spruce up your wardrobe.
- Get ready for any scheduled interviews.
- Update or create a media kit so that you will have promotional materials ready.
- Take care of any nagging health issues — emotional, spiritual or physical.
- Organize your files.
- Update your contact list or CRM system.
- Update your software.
- Get your receipts and write-off lists together for tax season.
- Start planning which conferences, events, and trade-shows you want to attend.
- Get a travel budget together for the conferences and events you want to attend.
- Buy a sketchbook to map ideas or expand a writing in graphical format.
- Buy new pens, pencils and erasers.
- Check your keyboard – do you love it? If not, invest in a really great keyboard.
- Get plenty of rest.
- Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!
- Make a vision board that represents what you want to accomplish in your business.
- Rearrange and update your office. Create a lovely environment to work in, complete with a rad new desk and decorations which inspire creativity.
- Prepare a music ‘playlist’–or several–so you have inspiring music while you work. If you can work to different types of music based on the tone of the day, try these music playlist categories: Pump Me Up, Romantic Tunes, I am the Bomb-Diggety, etc.
- Test out new productivity approaches to see if they might be a good fit for you.
- Complete all your strategic planning for next year in terms of health, money, and marketing.
- Finish strong in 2017! (And then 2018 will rock out by osmosis.)
- Check the copywriting on your website and make sure that it is current.
- Gather your favorite candle scents and oils for the new year. (The creative side of your brain loves scent stimulation.)
- Remove any blog posts that are outdated (events, interview, etc.)
- Check the links in your blog posts to ensure they are still working.
- Create guest blogger guidelines.
- Organize your computer’s desktop.
- Update your Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn files.
- Stock up on your favorite coffees and teas.
- Update or create a portfolio that shows off your best work.
- Think about where you need support in your business. Need to partner with a copywriter, book coach, accountant, or business coach?
- Send small notes of appreciation to your past clients, current clients, and referral partners.
- Do you need a new headshot?
- Review your products and services. Get rid of any that are no longer a great fit for your brand.
- Check your autoresponders and make sure they are still on-brand.
- Is it time for a new opt-in/freebie offer?
- Unsubscribe from any email newsletters that you no longer read.
- Review your keywords and optimize your website.
- Plan out your content for the first quarter of next year.
- Take all your processes for a test drive. Do they still make sense? Are they user-friendly?
- Make a list of books you’d like to read next year.
- How will you feed your creative an adventurous side in 2018?
- Mark all the days off in your calendar for 2018 that you won’t be working. Remember to take time for yourself and your family!
- Review your clients: Who did you love working with? Who did you want to strangle? What information can you glean from this review that will help you next year?
- Review your revenue and profit from 2017. Set projected income goals for 2018.
- Give your brand a new look if you need to. Rebranding is part of the growth process.
