Getting Your Organization Ready for 2017
No matter how 2016 treated your business or nonprofit, the best part about the new year is a fresh start. Whatever struggles you may have encountered, 2017 can be your time to turn up the heat and start working on your business' challenges and turning things around. However, you can’t just expect 2017 to bring the changes you desire; you first must properly prepare. Use these tips this December to make sure your company is truly ready to bring in the new year.
Evaluate Your Efficiency
There is nothing worse than wasteful business practices. They don’t benefit the organization, they don’t benefit the consumer, and they don’t benefit the world. However, reaching peak efficiency is a daunting task, especially when humans are involved. The best way to prepare for 2017 is to evaluate your efficiency. Even if you don’t want to tackle every single area that needs improvement, you can accumulate a list and decide where it is most appropriate to hone in for the new year. It’s better to concentrate on improving only a couple areas at a time so that you don’t bite off more than you can chew and end up being counterproductive. Need some ideas to get started? Take a look at these Tools for Going Paperless or Why You Should Explore Your Phone System Options.
Plan to Save
It’s hard to save money when you don’t have a well-thought-out plan. It’s important to concentrate on saving and not just making enough money to put back into the business just in case unexpected expenses arise or if you need to cover additional costs while your company blossoms. Before the new year, sit down and make a detailed plan for saving money (this will be easier if you just followed the previous tip and evaluated your efficiency). Your savings goal should be the perfect balance between lofty and lenient. After all, goals are meant to push you further than you have ever gone, while still being realistic.
The possibilities for 2017 are limitless. However, as we all know from the wise words of Roman philosopher, Seneca: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Don’t let 2017 sneak up on you without preparation!
What other things have you been up to get your business or nonprofit ready for the new year? Share with us in the comments!
Posted in: Business Tips
