Setting Business Goals for 2020: Where to Start

What’s your vision for 2020?

You already set new year resolutions for your personal life, so why not do it for your professional life as well? Since the new year is rapidly approaching, it’s time to create a roadmap for 2020 and create goals that set you and your company up for success.

As a small business owner, here are a few areas to focus on as you set goals for the year ahead:

2) Consider your employees and office culture: Since you’re focused on the bigger picture, take a step back and think about how those working around you are doing. Keeping employees fulfilled is not only important to the bottom line, but it also affects office morale. Set up 1-on-1 meetings to ask what changes they wish to see or look back to staff surveys you’ve conducted. Maybe 2020 will bring new job titles, a more lively office culture or updates to human resource processes. Perhaps there’s an opportunity to offer more flexible hours — it is the way of the future after all.

3) Hone in on your audience:Since you’ll want to set goals that focus on business metrics like revenue and retention, you’ll need to look hard at your customer base — both existing and prospective people that are the bread and butter to your business. When you’ve taken the time to understand your customers better, you can revise your strategies around marketing efforts and sales tactics in the new year.

Once you’ve looked at these three distinct areas and figured out what you’d like to revise, you’ll be much more informed to set realistic goals. Hint: We advise using the S.M.A.R.T system to fine-tune your strategy and trajectory.

One way to hold yourself accountable? Tell people! Share your goals with colleagues, family members, a mentor and tell them to check in every once in a while to see where you’re at and what your next steps are. You’ll thank yourself later.