Posted by Claire White ¦ Business Skills
Christmas is a time for holidays. But small business owners may find it difficult to switch off and down tools for days at a time. It’s important to take a break, but when business is perhaps a little slow, there are some tasks you can do that will give your business a boost and make sure you start 2017 with a bang.
Here are our five suggestions for making the most of the holiday period:
1. Refresh your social media profiles
Your business probably has a Facebook page, a Twitter account and a LinkedIn profile. At least. And you might not have updated them in a while, because work just gets in the way. Now’s the time to give your biography, photos and summaries of skills and services a facelift. Try and look at each social media profile as if you were a potential customer. Access them via a search engine or through a friend or family member’s account. Get a fresh perspective and make a note of what changes you would like to make. Then go back into your account and give your page a reboot.
2. Catch up on your reading
Do you have a stack of business magazines and books that you’ve been meaning to get stuck into? The festive break is a great time for catching up with what’s going on in your industry at your own pace. Without interruptions. If you don’t have a reading pile, ask colleagues and friends for recommendations and take it from there.
3. Get your contacts up to date
How many business cards have you collected over the past year? Are all those details captured somewhere? Are they all in one place and easily accessible? Possibly not. While things are quieter over Christmas, take the time to refresh all your contact information, sync your computer with your Smartphone or tablet and maybe even have a ‘cull’ of contacts you no longer think are relevant or useful. You could even create a ‘nice to meet you’ email template you can start using at networking events in 2017 for every person whose business card you collect.
4. Set your goals for next year
The pressure of everyday tasks often tends to obscure the bigger picture. You might have a rough idea of where you want your business to be in 3-6 months’ time, but what about in a year? In five years? When the pace slows a little over the holidays, give yourself the time to do some deeper thinking about your business. Maybe plan to go for a long walk or a cycle ride to free your mind up to contemplate the future. Then come back and set yourself some longer term goals.
5. Get yourself organised
The Christmas period could be a great time to have a clear out and sort out your desk space and office. De-cluttering your mind might be even more useful! Write down any nagging thoughts, tricky problems, lingering doubts or potential projects that have been flying around your brain but you haven’t had time to act on yet. Prioritise these issues and make a plan to tackle them. That will help set your mind at ease and you’ll feel more ready to tackle the new business year. If you have time, you could even clear out your email inbox to start 2017 with a clean slate!
So how will you be spending Christmas? Will you take the opportunity to work on your business or just have a complete break?
Share This Post
comments powered by Disqus