Setting Goals for Your Business in 2021

We did it; we survived 2020. We survived our kids and their remote learning. We survived adjusting our brands to an adapted workplace and an online focus. Whether your business was already geared to the online community or you had to start from scratch, you likely saw many setbacks, struggles, and success in communicating and reaching your audience last year.

As we enter 2021, it’s essential to set goals or “resolutions” for your business as well as yourself because having something to look forward and towards can help keep your team on track and ensure optimal success in the next 12 months.

How do I set goals for my business?

There are multiple areas in which you should sit down and develop goals for 2021 and many steps you can take to reach those goals. You can start with “I want to increase my revenue in 2021” but don’t stop there. I know it can be difficult to really narrow your goals down to something obtainable and measurable, however, with the proper organization and dedication, you’ll find it’s easier than you think.

Here’s what to do:

With every goal you set, remember to format your sentence with a measurable number and a time limit.

I want to [end goal] and will do so by [measurable step to reach this goal] to [measurable unit that will prove success] by [time limit].

For example:

I want to [increase content on my brand’s blog] and will do so by [posting one blog post a week] to [increase my website traffic by 30%] by [December 2021].

It doesn’t necessarily matter how you format your goals, however, by the end of your planning, you should have objectives that more precisely allow you to set timelines for achievement such as “I want to increase my revenue in 2021. I will attempt to achieve this by creating a social media plan that delivers content at least 3 times a week and increases my followers by at least 20% by December.”

What kinds of goals should I set for my business this year?

2021 is definitely going to be another year different than what we’re used to. Set goals that help your business adapt and succeed in this changing world. Here are a few areas you can look at:

Build Your Brand’s Communication and Customer Service.

Are your customers able to reach your business quickly and efficiently? How long is the wait time for a response? If you look back at the last year and notice a decline in your customer communication, it’s time to set some reasonable goals that can improve these numbers. This could mean delegating the role of responding to social media messages to a member of your team and providing a goal to respond within an hour each time. Providing an excellent customer service experience is also important. You can set measurable goals for improving customer services through post-call surveys or email feedback requests. Find a method that works for your business and target audience.

Develop Your Brand’s Online Marketing and Online Presence.

Online marketing has evolved in the last few years. What worked even last year may not be as effective in 2021. Due to the current pandemic, more people are spending time online. No doubt, we will see 2020 online shopping statistics skyrocket.

If you find your online marketing tactics leave a lot to be desired, set goals to spend a certain amount of time each week (schedule it in your phone and planner, and give yourself consequences for not following through) on planning and creating online marketing content.

Because we’ve been required to switch to an online-shopping/curbside pickup shopping routine, If your online shopping experience isn’t smooth and easy to navigate, you may start to lose customers to competitors. Focus on improving your eCommerce platform, update social media postings, and find more methods to reach your audience. You should also create marketing content that reflects your new methods of shopping and offers ways to improve your customers’ buying process.

Grow your brand’s online presence by spending more time on creating engaging social media posts, updating your website to make it more responsive and SEO-optimized as well as providing value to your visitors.

Remember, set measurable goals and even quarterly milestones so you can see your success at the end of the year. If you reach your goal at any time during the year, you’ll be able to adapt those goals to make them even better. If you find you’re not meeting any milestones, try redesigning your goals to make them more reachable or discover whether there’s an objective you should be reaching first.

Are you interested in learning more about how you can deliver exceptional content to your audience that will engage and convert viewers into loyal customers? Write Whale, a content marketing agency located in Kingston Ontario, can help. Reach out for a conversation today.