Three Ways to Start 2014 in Stride

Joseph Stubblebine
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The start of a new year holds great symbolic power, making it the ideal time to set new goals. Without an action plan, however, it is easy to fall back into old habits. By planning ways to implement business ideas in 2014, you are more likely to accomplish goals and increase profits.

For business professionals, January 1 brings with it new energy and motivation. As a manager, you can capitalize on those feelings to help set the patterns that will make it easier to execute business ideas in 2014.

One of the best ways to set the stage for new business ideas in 2014 is to reprioritize. As time passes, it is easy to fall into a pattern of behavior that eventually becomes a companywide habit. Whether you've been following the same project management tips for too long or started holding too many meetings, an occasional action can become embedded in company culture. After a while, old patterns and goals can stop serving your interests; in some cases, they can be detrimental. If your company has been focused on advertising to a specific audience group, for example, you may have reached a saturation point. If so, your company can save money and time by focusing on a new goal.

To help with prioritization, make an honest survey of your business practices, priorities, and goals. Working with your team, identify the items that are no longer important based on the economy, business growth, or other factors. Organize the list with the most important goals on top. In doing so, you can help the entire company refocus their efforts for a more productive year.

As you consider business ideas in 2014, social media should be a key focus. After all, the average consumer spends a significant amount of time on social media; if your company does not have a strong presence, you could be missing out on valuable marketing and customer service opportunities. Social media is also common on mobile devices, which are becoming increasingly integrated into everyday life. According to a recent article in The Guardian, you can use social media externally for customer relations and internally to share project management tips or other project-related information. By strengthening your social media profiles and working them into your daily operations, you can stay current and relevant with tech-savvy consumers in 2014.

Though the United States economy is slowly growing to prerecession levels, many companies are still focused on managing expenses and creating stability. To make it easier to implement new business ideas in 2014, take time at the beginning of the year to focus on relationships. Touch base with clients, vendors, and other contacts, and make it a goal to keep communications open throughout the year. By making a concerted effort to stay in touch, you'll be able to create relationships that will carry your company through tough times.

Whether you run a small company or a large corporation, the start of the year is the ideal time to focus on goals and priorities. By taking advantage of increased energy and motivation, you can help your colleagues create new profitable business ideas in 2014.

 

(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)

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