Month: December 2018

Archives for December 2018

Preparing for success in 2019

 

As we power forward towards the end of 2018, a new year looms brightly on the horizon. Most of us will move forward with big plans for growth, improvement, and change for the better, but you don’t have to wait until January 1st to put it all into motion. Laying the groundwork now is the best way to start the new year on a strong footing.

Here are some tips that will help you launch your business into your future both well-equipped and well-informed:

1. Identify new technologies and trends that may affect your industry

With technology and marketing concepts taking such major leaps and bounds, it will pay dividends to be able to project what you’ll need to do to stay on top of the changes. Look at what your competitors are doing. Research market trends that could either help or harm the way you do things today. While nobody has a crystal ball, you can reliably foresee the broad strokes and prepare accordingly.

2. Improve your productivity through automation

Even if you are an entrepreneur or solopreneur, there are probably myriad automation technologies that can help you get more done and more efficiently. For instance, if you find it so time-consuming to manage your social media, look into scheduling apps, like HootSuite, that can help you plan your posts up to months in advance.

3. Get the help you need

If you are burdened with a lot of repetitive tasks – anything from answering the phone to responding quickly to emails – a little help may just allow you the time you need to grow your business. A virtual office can support these needs without all the overhead of a full-time staff. You’ll be more organized than ever and your customers will be delighted.

4. Review your marketing plan

An effective marketing plan is something a business needs to revisit and adjust on a regular basis. With today’s volatile and fast-changing business landscape, it is more important than ever to keep your eyes on emerging trends in order to make changes as needed. Getting a little off-track is not a problem to correct but waiting until you are so far afield of the goal may cause you to steer right into the ditch. Revisit your mission and vision as well as your sales objectives. Do your methods align with your goals? What can you do to get back on track?

5. Bring your goals into sharper focus

Whether your goals are increasing sales, improving your margin, gaining visibility or market share, achieving any of these objectives involves having a clear route mapped out to get you there. If the destination is fuzzy at best, you are apt to meander around the ultimate goal without realizing any clear wins. Bringing your goals into clear focus will allow you to better plan how you are going to get there.

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Lakeside Executive Suites in Weston, FL, is committed to supporting our local businesses with flexible, professional office services. Drop by for a tour today or give us a call to learn more about how we can help you reach your business goals in 2019.

Tips to help you finish the year strong

 

As the end of the year looms, so do the typical distractions that we all have to face as holiday time approaches. There are few people in business who don’t feel the crunch of November and December slowdowns and unless you’re in retail or e-commerce, you may need to develop a performance strategy to ensure that you end the year on a strong note.

Even if your industry does a lot of business over the holiday season, in order to assure your position, you know that you need to start marketing well in advance. Once the busy time starts you’ll be less able to get on people’s radar, much less stay on it.

Here are some great tips to help you reach your targets:

1. Think three months in advance

Don’t wait until you see the Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations in the stores. By that time you’re already late to the starting gate. Start compiling your hit lists in late September/early October and prepare your holiday marketing campaigns for launch by the end of October.

2. Engage your stakeholders

Meet with your team to brainstorm ideas for how to finish the year strong. Ask each individual to bring at least two ideas to the table and to prepare a presentation for each one. You may be surprised at the enthusiasm that some ideas are able to generate! This enthusiasm is generally a good indication of how well the ideas will be implemented.

3. Anticipate demand

If you sell products or services that you have a finite inventory for, it is important to project how many units you will need to satisfy demand should your marketing efforts be successful. It’s all great to stir up excitement, but you need to be able to deliver. Explore your timelines and find out what’s feasible and viable before blowing your horn.

4. Follow up judiciously

You’ve done all the work of getting your name and your product or service in front of the right people but you still run the risk of being forgotten – unless you follow up. Follow-up should be a key aspect of your plan. Send reminders. Make sure you get your newsletters out there. Contact them just enough that they don’t forget about you.

5. Always begin with the end in mind

While your business is ongoing, finishing the year strong can make all the difference in your company’s strength and value. To this end, you need to keep your focus on the finish line. Set targets with an emphasis on expedience and results. The more time you spend in the planning stages, the less you’ll have for execution. Make decisions, then make things happen.

These are just a few great tips to help you finish the year strong – but we’ve got plenty more!

If you are looking for affordable, flexible office space to support you on the way to the finish line, drop by Lakeside Executive Suites for a tour. We’d love to show you how we can help.

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