Celebrate the New Year — then let’s get to work!

There’s a knock on your door. You walk past the leftover confetti on the floor from your New Year’s Eve party the night before, past the Christmas lights still blinking serenely on the mantle and go see who it is. In the back of your mind you already have an idea. As you turn the knob and open the door, you’re not really surprised. After all, you’ve been planning this visit for months.  

Yes, 2016 has come to see you. Are you ready for it?

The holidays are done. The tree will be packed up in its box for another 11 months. The lights will be taken down and the confetti swept up. It’s time to get to work. Here are a few tips to help your business start 2016 off right:

Take stock.  The turn of the year is a great time to sit back and take a close look at your business. Is the business growing? Are you attracting the types of customers you want to attract? Is your marketing proving effective? Are you having more complaints or fewer complaints from customers, and where are they coming from? These are just a few of the questions to ask. If you don’t like some of the answers, decide what you’ll need to do to improve.

Get Organized.  A cluttered desk may be a sign of genius according to some, but it can make it awfully hard to find what you need when you need it. Take some time to sort out what you’ll need for the coming year, what can blissfully be sent to the recycle bin and what you’ll want to archive. Remember tax time is just around the corner, so make sure you have the records and documents your accountant will need. Organize your files by calendar year, for example ‘Sales 2015.’

Set the Tone from Day One.  A new year is an opportunity to sweep out the old and bring in the new, so begin the year with a positive outlook. If something didn’t work in 2015, change it. If it was a great year for you, build on your strengths. Work to create an atmosphere that makes it difficult for negative thoughts to creep in. Increase the lighting in your office, bring in a few plants or put up some motivational quotes from some of your favorite people. Enthusiasm and positive thinking can be infectious, not only for you but also for your staff. Let everyone know that you’re ready to meet the challenges of 2016, and you’ll do it with a smile.  

2016 is here. What will you do to make it great?