Hello!
The toned-down party time is coming to an end for this year and we've been through so many changes forced on us, it can be exhausting. This issue is about starting to set the stage for the coming year, so there are a few activities I wanted to share with you to help you with your planning.
There's some mindset work goal setting and some tech info you should be aware of, as well as a free download I hope you'll take advantage of. All this is getting me in the zone for 2021. If you have a comment about anything in this issue, drop me a quick email with your comment or question. I'm looking forward to hear from you! OK, now to the last issue for 2020...
Looking forward
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Nuggets
Scale business in tough times
With businesses across the country struggling to keep their doors open, scaling your company in this economy might seem like a pipe dream. Not necessarily, says Charles Gaudet, CEO of growth consultancy Predictable Profits. Gaudet says these three steps are necessary to safe guard your business in tough times. Check out the post for details
What's the word?
What’s your 2021 Word of the Year for your business? What word will be your focus for your business goals in 2021? What word will you be applying through the year to work towards your success?
Why should you pay attention to this? Although coming up with a single word that encompasses your business year sounds wishy-washy, the process of focusing on a singular outcome and applying it to everything you do for the time period has the effect of streamlining everything you do towards a single purpose. It's worth the exercise of refining your "word of the year."
What should you do now? Reflect on the closing year and set your sails for success in the coming year, distilled into a word you can apply across your business or life activities.
On the Blog
Set business goals that matter
There's always so much talk about setting goals at this time of year. That's fine, but we really need to set Business Goals that Matter. If you find yourself tripping over your business planning, it might help to remember that setting relevant goals is the start or foundation of a great business plan.
Why should you pay attention to this? There's really only a few questions you need to ask yourself for your goal planning this year. The four questions are:
- Do you want make more money this year?
- Do you want new customers and prospects?
- Did your business change over this past year?
- Do you have new products or services?
There’s a good chance you answered yes to any, or perhaps all of these questions if you’re still reading. So, guess what that means? It’s time to set some important goals.
What should you do now? Hop on over to this blog post and review how to set those important goals. Be sure to download your free Goal Setting Worksheet & Goal Focused ToDo List. Leave a comment on the blog post and let me know your thoughts on this process.
Setting goals? Keep them to yourself!
Well, there's a school of thought that says perhaps you shouldn't share your goals with others because that sets Jedi-mind tricks in motion that can sabotage your results. In this entertaining TEDTalk, Derek Sivers shares some research on the benefits of keeping those goals to yourself. Take a 3:15 min spin on this video when you click this link.
What's the Tech
Social Media Image Sizes for 2021: Cheat Sheet for Every Network
The most recent image size specifications for different social media networks, including Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and more.
Why should you pay attention to this? You might need to check some of your social media images.
What should you do now? Be prepared to update some of your social media images and make sure you pay attention to these changes when you create new images in the future.
Google Introduces New Features for Small Business on Maps and Search
Google Introduces New Features for Small Business on Maps and Search Your online small business profile now must provide a whole host of information. And you have to make this information available quickly and accurately. Google is making this possible by bringing messaging capabilities and customer insights on Google Maps and Search.
You might want to check into this to see if it can be a value add for your business, or to fine tune your current Google Small Business settings if you are using this.
Premium Workshops, Events & Offerings
5 Reasons you marketing messages are falling on deaf ears
Is your marketing message missing the mark?
If you're sharing content and hearing crickets in return, your marketing message is falling on deaf ears
This free report will help you discover where you can punch up your messaging. Download your copy from this link, today.
Before you go
Well, 2020 is finally going into the history books (thank goodness)! These next couple of weeks is about strategizing around goals for the first quarter of the new year, but for this last day of the year I'd just like to raise a glass to you and say "For Auld Lange Syne."
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To your successful 2021. Talk to you in the New Year!