7 things to do in your Yorkshire small business before 2020 

A quick trip down any Yorkshire Highstreet is enough to confirm that silly season is in full swing. Depending on your business you are probably in one of the busiest or quietest times of the year.

Yet 2020 is just around the corner so, whenever you get some quiet time either over the next couple of weeks, or in that after Christmas lull, here are my key things to get your small business ‘New Year’ ready.

Honestly, how has the past year been? Financial success is important, however to sustain your business, and yourself, over the long term it’s vital to take a more 'balanced scorecard' approach. Reviewing your business in these four key areas.

Finance – Did you achieve your Top line financial goal (Turnover)? Is the business working efficiently? and how well are costs being managed to maximise the Bottom line (profit)?

Learning & growth – Is the business moving forwards, developing or acquiring new products or services? Are you harnessing the opportunities in new technology, from your business processes, sales & marketing to your product/service offers?

Customer perspective – Are your customers happy? Are they loyal and, importantly do they refer others to you? Are you meeting all their current needs and understand how these may change next year?

Personal well-being – Are you in a better place than you were 12 months ago? If you have been financially successful has this made a positive or negative impact on your well-being? And what about your employees?

As Tony Hsieh (Zappos) says “you can’t deliver good service from unhappy employees .” – and that includes you.

For anyone familiar with Kaplan & Norton's scorecard model, forgive my replacing Internal processes with the personal well-being, as the business owner without some focus on taking care of yourself the business may become unsustainable.

As Jane Keogh (Positive mind & Success coach) would say 'you have to have your own oxygen mask in place before you can help anybody else'. You can read more here from Jane in her blog - Acknowledging your journey www.janekeogh.co.uk/blog/54-acknowledge-the-journey-2

Based on your review set goals for the coming year in these four ‘scorecard’ areas. Then scope out the work to be done, including who is going to do it and when.

Share your future plans with your accountant, from taking on members of staff to moving premises make use of their expertise on the best way to set up your finances and structure your business assets.

Be ambitious but realistic. Get out that 2020 diary and schedule time throughout the year to work on your business; monitoring progress and adjusting the plan.

OK I know this is a painful one and most business owners worry that increasing prices could make customers leave. Yet, the purpose of a business to make a profit and if prices don’t go up, at least in line with inflation, you will be, in effect making less than last year.

Key things to consider here are:

• Will your own costs increase (check any supply contracts) and if so by how much?

• When was the last time you increased your prices? What was the justification?

• What changes have you implemented within the business in the past year that has added/improved to the customer experience or service provided?
  

If you are going to increase your prices then be organised. Consider the best way to communicate to all customers explaining what the increase will be, why prices are going up and when this will take effect.

Customer hate stealth increases .

Be upfront and open, if your customers value your product/service then a reasonable increase should not damage that relationship.

You can find more detailed advice here on How to raise & lower your prices from Entreprenuer.com

You work hard to provide amazing products and services to your customers and you trust that, in turn they will refer you to others if the opportunity should arise. Yet, as @ mlaplantedube points out " Referrals only happen out of the good of a customer's heart some of the time -- for the rest of it, giving customers a reason to refer will work wonders ".

Creating a referral scheme gives your customers both the incentive and, importantly a simple and effective way to refer you to others.

A customer referral is hugely valuable, not only low cost in terms of marketing and sales but there is a significantly higher chance of conversion to sale.

A referral scheme can also offer a great opportunity for customer retention if you include a incentive (discount, credit, bonus) to your existing customer it can encourage future sales.

You could also offer the scheme to customers who have worked with you in the past, providing a valuable opportunity to get back in touch that may rekindle your business relationship.

Before you embark on a referral scheme you need to be clear about your goals and establish a process for promoting,capturing and tracking any referrals, to ensure it really has a positive impact on your business.

You can find a step by step guide to setting up your own referral scheme here blog.hubspot.com/service/customer-referral-program

Unless you have a retail premises, your website is basically your shop window. Often it's the first impression that potential customers get of your business - Is it still up to date and looking active? Whilst you may not need a major overhaul, perhaps it’s time for a refresh. Simple updates can include

• Changing photographs and/or adding video

• Adding recent testimonials

• Updating the news sections

• Creating some new content for your blog to release over the next couple of months.
  

This doesn’t have to be a big gesture but make it personal. A hand-written card, noting something you have achieved together this year, or that you are looking forward to next year, can make all the difference.

If you are giving gifts, don’t simply order 20 bottles of wine, even for the one you know doesn’t drink. It is far more valuable to give something relative to your relationship or that offers an opportunity to enhance it. (Think notepads, tea selections, business books even a toiletry bag for that constant business traveler)

You know who they are from suppliers to collaborators, mentors, friends and family – the ones who kept you going through the ups and downs. Now is the season to show them how important they are and to keep them in your corner for the year ahead.

Then close your laptop, mute your social media and, to quote Mark from Love Actually ‘Enough, enough now’ (sorry but it is Christmas) – take some time off.

Janet Doran , works as a Strategic Business Coach across North Yorkshire, UK. enabling small business owners in creative and professional service industries to win in competitive markets.

Find out more at www.thepositivepen.co.uk or call 07505 120051

I post daily, information/inspiration for small business owners, on twitter @ thepositivepen

One of the key benefits business owners get from working with a coach is that ‘protected’ time to work on the business instead of it in. If you are thinking about working with a business coach in 2020 please get in touch.