With
the beginning of the New Year each one of us has the opportunity to
reflect on the progress we made in previous years and attempt to
make changes and improvements that will help us to reach higher
standards in both our businesses and in our personal lives.
Below is the list of the three most important things you can do for
your small business to begin 2005.
1) Create a 2005 Business and Marketing Plan and begin
planning out this year, in detail, immediately. How will
you reach your customers? How much money will you budget for
marketing in 2005? What publications, tradeshows, internet
marketing, and other advertising will you be participating in this
year? Benjamin Franklin once said, "Drive thy business or
it will drive thee." It is important to have a proactive
business plan in place that can be communicated to your entire
company, or you will simply find that you are leading a group that
is reacting and scrambling without direction (also see the
marketing tip
in this month's newsletter).
2) Take time to set high, yet reasonable, business goals
for 2005. During this important evaluation process, assess
the results of your goals for 2004 and articulate your higher
standards that you will be working towards. Publish these
goals internally (or externally if desired) and review the company's
progress on a weekly or monthly basis. Maxwell Maltz said in
the June 2004 Communication Bulletin for Managers & Supervisors,
"We find no real satisfaction or happiness in life without obstacles
to conquer and goals to achieve." I would stress that
satisfaction and happiness is found in your business for the entire
staff by setting and reaching high goals. This year, find
supportive ways to make employees accountable for helping reach
these goals and positively reward them accordingly.
3) Budget some time to set high personal goals for yourself
in 2005. What would you like to accomplish as an individual this
year? What types of things do you need to work on as an
employee, employer, father, mother, spouse, son or daughter?
Albert Einstein once said that we should, "Try not to become a
man of success but rather to become a man of value." Set
high goals that reflect and enhance your character as a
businessperson and an individual. The most-desirable business
people to work with in this world are the ones who are well-rounded,
positive, sincere, honest, hard-working, proactive, and pro-client.
Start this year off right by immediately making plans and setting
goals that will help you to reach more clients, sell more product,
give better service, and make more money for you and your families.
From all of us at InvestMed we thank you for being an
InvestMed subscriber and wish you and yours a very happy and safe
2005.
-- Kevin Burdick,
InvestMedLLC.com
February 2005, TOP STORY:
Viva Las Vegas - A Reseller's Story
December 2004, TOP STORY:
Is the Independent
Medical Software Reseller a Dying Breed?
