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Five 2020 New Year’s Resolutions for Small Business Owners

new year's resolutions 2020

The holiday season is ramping up. Your preparations for Small Business Saturday are (hopefully) taking shape, and your overall holiday marketing strategy is on point. But coming up sooner than most people are willing to admit: the flip from 2019 to 2020, and the need for New Year’s resolutions.

Foresight is a must for every successful small business owner. It’s not enough to know what you’re doing right now; you also need to keep an eye on what you’ll be doing in the future. And while we’re not belting out Auld Lang Syne yet, the holiday season tends to make the final weeks of the year fly by. Don’t let yourself enter 2020 unprepared.

The time for New Year’s resolutions is right around the corner. And we have a few suggestions to help you start 2020 with 20/20 vision!

Explore At Least Two New Marketing Methods

Tried and true is fantastic. But if you’re just keeping up with the status quo, you’ll never fully realize your small business’s potential!

In the new year, make a commitment to explore two (or more!) marketing channels that have been on your back burner for too long. Will you try your hand at direct mail? Give lesser-known social media platforms a shot? Pull a marketing stunt to end all other marketing stunts? The choice is yours!

Stick With the Game Plan

While “new and exciting” is fun, don’t let it distract you from the original game: keeping your small business running in the black.

Pay close attention to your budget and overall finances. Make sure your “pay to play” advertising strategy is working in your best interests. Ditch the marketing strategies that are bleeding you dry in favor of lower-cost options.

Your financials need regular check-ups. So sit down with yourself (and your bank book) every two months or so to keep yourself on track.

Put the Kibosh on Micromanagement

You’re protective of your business. That’s understandable. After all, you’ve put plenty of blood, sweat, tears and Tylenol into shaping it into what it is today.

Like a parent leaving their child in the hands of a babysitter for the very first time, you might be nervous about temporarily handing over your small business’s care to someone else. Will they love it like you do? Will they attend to its every need? What if something goes wrong?

In 2020, make a resolution to take a step back. Your employees are your employees because you trust them to make decisions in your stead. Resist the urge to micromanage them and have faith that they’ll do exactly what you hired them to do. It will help you avoid burnout and boost their confidence all at the same time!

Be Smart About Cybersecurity

The internet can be a dangerous place. Hackers, phishers and other assorted ne’er-do-wells are everywhere, and if they get their dirty hands on your customers’ information, you’ll have plenty of angry people to answer to.

The stats are scary. According to Small Business Trends, 43% of cyber attackers go after small businesses, and 60% of victimized businesses will shut down for good within six months of a cyberattack.

The solution? Do everything you can to mitigate the risks, including having a strong security policy, making sure your employees are trained on your cybersecurity procedures, regularly updating your antivirus software and practicing constant vigilance.

Find a Marketing Partner You Can Trust

While it’s certainly possible for a small business owner to go it alone, an awesome small business marketing partner can be worth their weight in gold.

Imagine not having to worry about crafting blog posts each week. Think of the time you’d save by having someone else handle your social media. What would it be like if someone stepped in to help you navigate the labyrinth of small business design?

There’s no shame in asking for outside help!

What Are Your 2020 New Year’s Resolutions?

Whether you adopt one of our suggestions or make your own resolutions, now is the time to start looking forward to the new year. What will 2020 bring for your small business?

At Mischa Communications, we take pride in helping small businesses just like yours realize their full potential. Beat the New Year’s rush and contact us today to get a running start on 2020!