It’s been said that in business, if you’re not growing, you’re going backwards. So, how can you successfully grow this year? The key is to approach your market challenges tactically and strategically—and find new ways to meet the needs of your customers today. Here are some essential tactics and strategies to set you up for success in 2024.
Know Your Goals
The first thing to do is tactical. You need to set clear, achievable goals now, at the beginning of the year. These goals could include increasing sales, launching a new product or service, improving the customer experience, adding staff, growing your number of customers, increasing your revenue per customer. The goals you choose will describe what a successful 2024 will look like to you.
When setting your goals, make sure they’re SMART—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Specific means a goal should state exactly what you’re trying to achieve. Measurable means you have a standard of measurement (e.g., dollars of revenue, number of new customers) that tells you when you’ve achieved the goal. Attainable means the goal is something that’s honestly possible for you to achieve. Relevant means the goal will contribute to your revenue stream. Time-bound means there’s a deadline for reaching the goal.
Adopt Strategies for Success
Here are six essential strategies to achieve a successful year:
- Become the expert. Know your business from start to finish. Own the whole ecosystem, so you can bring yourself into every part of the customer experience.
- Look for solutions internally. Avoid the temptation to look for outside resources to solve problems. First, consider what’s available to you right there in your company, right now. Grab it and get the most out of it.
- Stay out of your comfort zone. To grow, you need to learn new things and put new energy into your business. That means you have to embrace your discomfort If you’re not uncomfortable, you’re probably not pushing yourself enough.
- Evaluate Expanding your offerings. Listen to what clients and prospects are asking for and become the solution to those needs. You might have to compete in a new niche, wear more hats, and hire new people, but the effort could provide an important path for your growth this year.
- Get involved with your sphere. This is the year to be as visible as possible—not just to prospects and customers, but also to your sphere of current and potential business and referral partners. Decide on the appropriate touchpoints—social media, e-newsletters, sponsorships, community and networking events—and use them!
- Seek out colleagues and trusted business and referral partners to share insights and learning. Connections can be powerful.
Stay Hungry
Finally, never get complacent. Understand that at the end of the day, you’ve never arrived—there’s always a next thing to do, something else to learn, more ways to grow yourself professionally and personally. The job is never done, which shouldn’t be discouraging. Instead, it should inspire you to shift your focus from a destination to a journey—an exploration of the wonderful possibilities that lay before you. And don’t forget—an AdviCoach business coach can help you learn and develop everything you need to succeed.