The year is coming to an end… “thank goodness!”
Now it’s time to plan for a fresh start come 2021. Let’s face it – 2020 changed the focus of many businesses from thriving to surviving after the outbreak of Covid 19.
As this turbulent year comes to an end, you need to keep your eyes on the horizon while keeping your mind in the present.
Is your business ready for 2021? You need to position your business to success and start building your 2021 goals and visions. How can you do this?
Here is a “get ready checklist that would help you adjust your business to succeed.
Whether you are a small or medium business entrepreneur, you can use data to grow your business by building an effective customer relationship. Customers are flooded with different brand messages across many channels, so targeting is very crucial.
You need to collect, organize and learn from your customers’ data and make informed decisions. Are you looking for the best way to roll out your new product or services in 2021? Use data analytics to forecast your existing customer base. You can also use data as the year begins to project your business profitability and annual sales.
Working from home has become a norm for many businesses, and it is now clear that the future of work for many businesses will be remote. How well are you prepared?
You need to understand how work-from-home will affect employees’ day to day experiences and measures that managers have in place to handle changes.
Having a remote work policy will help you manage this new way of working by setting clear requirements, responsibilities and expectations.
Is your business ahead of the curve regarding online presence? Adding an online store to the already existing physical retail store is a must. We are talking not only about eCommerce, but also SEO and Social media marketing. However, you need to prepare carefully. Make sure you enable a great customer experience, by having a website that is fast, reliable and safe for your customers to make purchases.
In a few months, many companies have shifted to the work-from-home model, but many still need to ensure that employees are aware of the threats and risks that arise when you start working from your own laptop or connecting to a shared network. Make sure your safety protocols have adapted to this new reality by providing the appropriate tools to your employees. Education is also key: employees need to be aware of phishing scams, for example, as well as be trained to implement cybersecurity best practices, such as a complex password and multifactor authentication.
Number 5 – Revise Business Continuity Plan (say it and show on screen)
You will rarely get a notice that disaster is about to strike. A perfect example is the coronavirus pandemic that forced many businesses to close doors and others to dive into a remote working model. There is a need for a business continuity plan during disruptions like earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, pandemics, and cyberattacks. Many businesses have a disaster recovery plan in store but lack business continuity.
A business continuity plan will help restore your business to full functionality after a disaster.
Not sure how to build one? Contact us today.
And make sure you tick each item of this checklist to start 2021 with the right foot.