It’s easy to dwell on the struggles that the pandemic has brought to many of us. Many small businesses have been hit hard, but there have also been more opportunities due to COVID. So, regardless of how it’s affected your business, 2022 is a new year, and with a new year comes hope and optimism. So, if you can, remember to think positively, remain resilient and get excited about the year ahead.

Here are some of our New Year’ Resolution ideas to help your business shine in 2022 (which we’ll practise, too!).

A 2021 review

Before you plan your resolutions and objectives for next year, how about reviewing your business performance for 2021? Why not call it a highly informal appraisal to remember just what you’ve achieved? It’s easy to race into another year, but don’t forget to focus on your 2021 achievements (new clients, turnover, social media successes, growth etc.).

Also, consider new skills you’ve learnt or those tangible achievements like investing in new premises or products. Perhaps you had a dream to feature somewhere or achieve something only you know about. So, celebrate your wins, focus on what you need to do next year and give yourself an enthusiastic pat on the back!

1.     Business Planning

Once you know your 2021 achievements and what worked well for your business, you can start with your 2022 business planning. Again, be realistic and honest with your goals and consider what your company can achieve.

You can spend hours on business goals, so how you make them will come down to personal preference. However you set your goals, make sure you take the time out to plan them and try to add review dates. It’s okay if they change; that’s why regular reviews are essential!

2.     What works (and what doesn’t)?

Consider your products or services and be honest about 2021 successes and what might need to be stopped or paused. With that in mind, think about your business relationships as although some will be effective, others may not. Don’t waste lots of energy trying to make something work if it’s causing you stress or loss. It sounds harsh but will help you make a strong entrance into the year.

3.     Boost your marketing

So, while you’re in planning mode, it’s an excellent time to create a marketing plan. It doesn’t have to span the whole year, but certainly, consider the next quarter. Then again, review your 2021 marketing and what has brought new business and what hasn’t worked so well. If you can do it all yourself, that’s great, but we’d be silly not to mention our services. At The Surrey Circle, we offer bespoke marketing services to help you regularly promote your business to local people.

4.     Start networking

Gone are the days of intimidating and overly formal networking events. In fact, the pandemic has encouraged a lot of video networking meetings, and many networking companies offer a combination of in-person and online meetings. There are lots to choose from, but once you attend regularly, you’ll not only find new business leads but experts in other areas who can be invaluable to your business.

5.     Embrace social media

You know the importance of a regular and consistent approach to social media, but it’s easy to let it slip off your list of business priorities. If you find it too time-consuming, try to stick to one platform and focus on that. You can use lots of free tools to create your posts and keep them on-brand to post regular posts, videos and helpful content to appeal to a potentially huge audience. When you join The Surrey Circle, we will also promote your business to our thousands of followers to increase your exposure and do the work for you.

6.     Try a collaboration

You may not have a business in mind to collaborate with, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t the perfect opportunity. Think who you could team up with to promote both companies and approach things a little differently. Collaboration may bring added excitement or a business edge to your social media. By collaborating, you’re also gaining exposure to a different set of potential clients.

7.     Consider an investment

You don’t need to spend all your income, but it’s a good time to think about what products or services (or lack of!) could be holding you back. For example, is your laptop slowing you down, or you’ve never bothered to buy a printer, or you’re doing all your accounts, and you hate it? Try to think about making your business life easier and investing.

8.     Set your hours and take breaks

It might be easier said than done to stick to set working hours when running your own business but try! If you work part-time, remember that when you’re taking on new clients and make time for lunch breaks or whatever you need to re-energise during the day. A little bit of ‘you’ time or set hours can help in the long run with motivation.

Now’s the time to consider how you’ve performed in 2021 and what you want to achieve in 2022. Celebrate, collaborate, but don’t commiserate, because the year ahead is bursting with opportunities. Get planning your resolutions now and make them achievable, so you’re committed and motivated!

We would love to chat with you if you would like to discuss your 2022 marketing needs or ideas.