In the new year, many companies reflect on their progress and set resolutions for business improvement. These new year resolutions for business are a great way to reset goals and build stronger strategies for growth.
A resolution suggests you are ready for a fresh perspective on the future. It may involve fixing challenges or improving what already works well. However, turning resolutions for business into measurable goals is what creates real progress.
This year, we are focusing on new year’s resolutions for business that are strategic, actionable, and measurable. Below are five common business goals along with practical ways to achieve them.
GOAL #1: I Grow Your Email List with Better Engagement
A well-maintained email list is one of the most powerful marketing tools. Think of it as a group of loyal supporters who are ready to engage with your brand.
To build this list, you must clearly define your audience and offer value. First, identify your ideal customer. Then, create incentives that encourage sign-ups and long-term engagement.
Additionally, consistent communication is key. Without it, subscribers may forget why they joined your list in the first place.
Fans do not just become fans without a little love from you, the brand. So in order to build an email list, you must do two very important things:
- Identify, very specifically, who your target market is.
- Give them what they want.
If you know who your ideal customer is, then you should have a good idea of what makes them tick, and what lead generator will whet their appetite or more. Spend some time digging deep into identifying your target market. Are they:
- Male/Female?
- Educated? Married/Single?
- Where do they live? What do they do for a living?
- How much do they make?
- How old are they?
- Do they have kids?
- What do they like to do in their free time?
All this works, by the way, for business-to-business as well! Just replace the questions with business stats. What industry are they in? Where are they located? How large of a company? Who in the company do you need to speak to? What is their revenue?
Now that you know who they are and what they need, identify what you can give that ideal customer that would (a) encourage them to give you their email address and (b) STAY on your list!
It isn’t just that first giveaway or promotion, you are looking for a long relationship. What are you going to keep doing to keep them interested? How often will you appear in their inbox?
Remember, growing a list now, but never reaching out to your customers means they will forget why they even signed up in the first place.
Add a popup to your website to encourage visitors to sign up for newsletters.
Pop-ups drive 1375% more subscribers.
Goal #2: Increase Website Traffic and Visibility
There are two main ways to increase website traffic: inbound and outbound strategies.
Inbound Marketing or Outbound Marketing.
Inbound methods take time but build long-term authority. These include SEO, blogging, and social media engagement. Outbound methods deliver faster results but require investment, such as paid ads and print campaigns.
When combined properly, these strategies help generate high-quality traffic and improve brand visibility.
Outbound Marketing gives you speed, and requires cash.
Outbound Marketing is the process of getting in front your consumer where they are. Your brand is talking TO the customer, rather than engaging with them. Google AdWords, Pay Per Click campaigns, Facebook Ads, online display ads, print ads, radio ads, television ads, and other traditional advertising are all forms of Outbound Marketing.
If you have the money to spend, outbound marketing (when done right) will give your website a speedy uptick in traffic.
Goal #3: Improve Social Media Engagement with Video
To boost engagement, video content is essential. It helps increase reach and improves audience interaction.
Marketers who use video grow revenue 49% faster than non-video users. From Smart Insights: according to 88% of marketers, video marketing provides them with positive ROI.
However, not all content needs to be highly produced. Short videos such as tips, updates, and behind-the-scenes clips work well.
These can also be reused across email and social channels for maximum exposure.
Video on social media doesn’t have to be long-form, and it shouldn’t be! Try to keep your videos under 3 minutes. What do you video?
- Brief How-to’s
- What you’re doing right now
- An event you are attending
- Tips and tidbits in your field
- News and announcements
- Something amazing happening outside your window
- A shout out to a client/employee/partner
- Giveaways and promotions
Post your video on your social media platforms. Include it in your email newsletters. And watch the engagement increase. Be sure to mix in regular posts, blog entries, announcements and other messaging between video postings.
GOAL #4: I want to BE FOUND!
Getting found online requires a strong inbound funnel supported by SEO, content, and engagement strategies.
Once users arrive, conversion becomes the priority. Clear call-to-action buttons, landing pages, and testimonials help guide visitors toward action.
But what good is getting found if that doesn’t translate into conversions? The first step to converting is making it EASY for customers to choose to convert.
You need well-designed and strategically worded call-to-action (CTA) buttons on your website. CTAs are buttons that tell the user what to do next. They should be clear and actionable. They should look clickable, be bold, stand out.
- “Learn More About Our Product”
- “Sign Up For Our Newsletter”
- “Buy Now”
- “Start My FREE Trial”
- “Get Your FREE Quote”
- “Work With Us”
Here’s a few more ways to optimize your conversion rate:
- Create and use targeted landing pages
- Solicit testimonials and use them on your website and in your marketing
- Create FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)
- Audit your site for good user experience
- Keep it SIMPLE (fewer options/clicks = better conversion rate)
- Optimize your site’s speed
- Be seen and heard (getting found and converting won’t happen if you aren’t out there). Network, advertise, socialize, and be a bullhorn for your business.
Goal #5: Increase Sales Through Clear Messaging
Boosting sales starts with understanding your value. Many businesses confuse features with benefits.
For example, a product may have specific features, but customers buy based on the benefits those features provide.
When businesses clearly communicate value, they improve conversions and overall performance.
There’s a big difference between your features and your benefits.
It’s usually an easy ask to list out your business or product features. Benefits can be tougher.
Strong businesses also focus on dispute resolution for business operations. Resolving internal or customer issues quickly helps maintain trust and smooth workflows.
Another example: at Calliope Concepts, we do Graphic Design, Direct Mail and Print Marketing. Those are our services, or our features. But what problem do we solve? What benefit do we provide?
We make brands more powerful, profitable, welcoming and consistent across all media platforms, digital and physical.
If your goal is to increase sales, it isn’t going to happen without strategy. So then what can you do with this information?
Run a new campaign. Target a new market. Create a new offering or product. Write a new blog post. Create a new landing page. Hone your sales pitch or elevator speech.
Getting more clarity on the problems you solve for your customers is a giant stepping stone to increasing sales (and maybe even streamlining your sales process)!