4 New Year’s resolutions to boost your business in 2017

It’s the new year—you look inward, reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, and decide how you can improve. But have you thought about your business in the same way? After all, bigger, better goals aren’t just for your personal life. They’re helpful for your company too.

These four easy resolutions will help get your brand more organized, more productive, and sleeker than ever—just like you in 2017.

1) Say thanks with New Year’s cards

Holiday cards are a common way to thank clients for their business during the holiday season. But if you want to really stand out, a great-looking thank-you note will kick the year off right – with valued customers and within your team.

After all, January is also the perfect time to let employees know that you’ve appreciated their efforts over the past year. Not only will this act of gratitude make your staff feel warm and fuzzy inside—which is much needed in this post-holiday month—but it will also motivate them to do their best in the year ahead.

2) Set yearly, measurable goals

When it comes to getting better at what you do, half the battle is knowing what you’re trying to achieve. That’s why it’s important to set tangible goals for your company in the year ahead. What are your sales targets for each quarter? How much growth do you want to see in your marketing reach? Could your brand values be encapsulated even more succinctly by an inspiring new manifesto?

To keep all of your goals at the forefront, write them down on company letterhead and post them around the office. Out of sight means out of mind— and you don’t want that to happen. To increase your odds of sticking to your resolutions, choose an office accountability buddy. Set a time with them once per week, and see how the other is making progress throughout the year.

Another creative way to remind yourself of your objectives is to send a letter—to yourself. The moment you know what you want to accomplish, write it down. Then, postmark the card for the halfway point between that day, and when you want to achieve your goal. This is the perfect way to check in and reflect upon how you’re doing. Thanks, postal service!

3) Reorganize your organization

You might have resolved to keep your office more organized this year. However, as helpful as a tidy desk can be for focus and productivity, it’s even more important to look at your business itself and ask, how efficiently are you conducting your company?

One great goal for 2017 is to manage your – and your employees’ – time more effectively. The Pomodoro time management technique involves working in 25-minute bursts of activity, separated by short breaks. That way, you can effectively check off more tasks without burning out.

Other ways to supercharge your workday include making daily goals, prioritizing each day’s most crucial task, and scheduling email-reading periods. This is especially important for HR managers, who could easily respond to email for days at time.

Lastly, take some time to clean your phone. Believe it or not, having too many organizational apps can be distracting. For example, if you’re using Google Keep, Evernote, and Notes to keep track of your thoughts, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Instead, stick with one method of note-taking. Alternatively, go old school and try a pen and paper, instead!

4) Stock up on your card stock

If you’re still reeling from the back-to-work backlog, it can be easy to forget to order new business cards. After all, some people have probably been promoted for 2017—and others have been brought on board. Or maybe the sales and marketing teams have ambitious new goals to hit. Get everyone ready to network and score new leads with a tall stack of handsomely designed business cards. To make it easy, a MOO Business Services account can help your employees re-up their cards in a matter of clicks.

From the MOO team to you—happy New Year! Now, get out there and go crush those goals.