While it’s tempting to take a step back in January and slow down after a busy Christmas period, the first few months of the year are crucial for your business. They’re the perfect time to acknowledge previous successes and challenges, focus on growth and set a plan. Here’s how to keep up your franchise’s momentum in the New Year.
In this article, we’re focussing on the tips and tricks you can use to keep workers productive, maintain customer engagement and incentivise people to continue buying your products. At a time of year that can be fairly dismal, we believe business owners have a key opportunity to concentrate on how to continue driving franchise success.
With these business growth strategies and ideas, you can take a break over Christmas and keep up your franchise’s momentum in January to come back stronger than ever!
How to keep up your business’s momentum in the New Year
We’ve gathered 10 business growth strategies for January - keep reading to find out how to continue driving franchise success in the coming months.
1. Revisit your original ambitions
Do you remember why you started your business in the first place? If you became an entrepreneur several years ago, there’s a chance you’ve lost sight of the factors that originally pushed you forward. Consider the reasons you’re passionate about what you do and how you can use them to motivate yourself now.
2. Review your recent achievements
Don’t just pick up in January where you left off in December; take a moment to look back over the accomplishments of the past year and give yourself a pat on the back. You’ll realise just how much you can achieve when you work hard, which will give you more motivation to continue your efforts.
You could create a report, develop infographics or collect success stories to share with your business network and customers - you may even get some new leads.
3. Identify effective practices
Once you’ve revisited the positives of the past year, you should have a clear image of the processes driving profitability and high team morale. Think about how you can double down on those strategies to grow your business even more in the coming months.
4. Complete a business audit
Think about how your business is currently performing. Which areas leave room for improvement? You may like to organise a team meeting to gain different perspectives and fresh ideas. At the end, be sure to set new goals - taking this step will give you something to work towards throughout the year.
Instead of individual New Year’s resolutions, how about developing some organisational New Year’s resolutions? These can be as simple as implementing a new recycling programme to developing an entirely new product line. Facilitate brainstorming sessions and have some fun with it.
—Cheryl Czach, Cheryl Czach Coaching and Consulting
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5. Create visual aids
Sometimes, it can be helpful to see your progress laid out in front of you. While certain successes are conceptual, you can produce a visual ‘tracker’ to monitor progress. Graphs, charts and even basic to-do lists can help you gain a deeper understanding of your business’s performance.
Plus, you get a huge sense of satisfaction when you see those lines going in the right direction or tick off one of your jobs.
6. Match the mood of others
The New Year is all about fresh starts, new beginnings and good intentions. Bring this feeling into your businesses as a technique to keep up your franchise’s momentum. Encourage an atmosphere of optimism, productivity and cooperation among your team and aim to inspire those around you, from franchisees and employees to customers.
In other words, start the year as you mean to go on, with a renewed passion for your business growth strategies.
7. Change things up
A classic technique for keeping up motivation is to get a change of scenery. Whether you just take your laptop to a local cafe or make a more permanent adaptation by renovating the office, an environmental shift can do wonders for your productivity. Consider ways to alter your daily habits or establish a new routine to inject fresh energy into your work.
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8. Refresh your marketing materials
If your website and social media profiles are looking a bit lacklustre, you could consider redesigning them. Even small alterations like the introduction of a slightly different font or a new series of marketing photographs can make a big impact, not only among consumers, but employees too. It will signal a shift in direction and hopefully help to maintain momentum.
9. Create a reward scheme
No one likes to think their hard work is going unrecognised. Whether you’re a franchisor or a franchisee, demonstrate your appreciation among your business network. You’re only limited by your imagination when it comes to reward schemes, but even something as simple as introducing a franchisee or employee ‘of the month’ could boost productivity.
When employees show the slightest change - be it a new hobby, a new look, a new approach, a new skill or new learning - it should be immediately recognised and appreciated. This will encourage them to continue with the change and bring about an environment of engagement among the team. The more an employee feels valued, the more they are engaged with the leader and the organisation.
— Pritha Dubey, Success Vitamin founder
10. Reinvigorate your calendar
It can be hard to feel motivated if you’re working alone, but you can keep up your franchise’s momentum by organising fun networking events and learning opportunities. Book tickets for industry exhibitions and conferences, and take the time to make valuable connections.
Giving yourself and others the chance to share insights and concerns can be incredibly helpful when it comes to boosting productivity and morale.
More guidance on running your own business
Here at Point Franchise, you’ll find hundreds of informative guides to help you when setting goals for the new year and building on your business growth strategies. Our data-driven articles are designed to support those in the franchise community and cover a wide range of relevant topics. To find answers to specific questions, just use the search box.
Alice Tuffery, Point Franchise ©
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