“Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?”
Scotsman Robert Burns could have been writing about 2020 when he penned the poem that became the lyrics to “Auld Lang Syne” in 1788. Last year was one that most of us want to put in the rear-view mirror from a personal and business perspective.
We’ll concentrate here on the business side with tips on how to make 2021 a better and more stable year.
Learn from 2020…then put it in the past
Tough lessons were taught last year. We found out that we can’t take anything for granted, especially in the business world. Unplanned closures, reticent customers, political turmoil on the state and national levels … we had it all. But we made it through and better times are coming. Make sure your 2021 business and marketing plans anticipate turbulent times over at least the first half of the year then hope for some return to normalcy by the third or fourth quarter.
Pay special attention to your customers
We receive feedback in numerous forms from our customers: social media, face-to-face interactions, phone calls, emails, etc. Identify your shortcomings and improve on them. Also make sure you accentuate the things you do right (and reward the employees who make your business look good). A disappointed customer can always find your goods or services elsewhere.
Take time for yourself
Business owners and managers have a lot of responsibilities. But you aren’t doing yourself any favors by putting in 60-hour weeks and never taking time to unwind. Yes, 2021 is going to be challenging but that’s even more reason to step away from the chaos sometimes. The Centers for Disease Control reported that 40 percent of adults reported struggling with their mental well-being in 2020. The best way to make this year better is to not repeat mistakes of last year.
Communicate regularly
Let’s assume that you already have a good website, social media following and email distribution list. Those communication vehicles must be on heavy rotation in 2021. Unless you have been deemed an essential business, chances are state or local restrictions will have some impact on your opening hours the rest of the winter. Your customers need to know, for example, if you’ve had to switch to curbside pick-up or temporarily close. Communication and transparency are keys to customer loyalty.
Now go out and make this the year you turn things around.
West Press’ talented staff is here to help you each step of the way — from graphic design to printing to mailing services to large format to website development. Contact West Press or your Account Executive at 520-624-4939 today.