January is like the Monday of the year. What you do during that month can set your business up for success all year long. Whether you're just starting a new business or you've been established for several years, it never hurts to take a critical look at your business, consider what is working and what is not working, and set new goals to achieve in the year. 

1. Map out a strategy. All good business and marketing plans should start with a strategy. This will act as your guiding star throughout the year, making sure all of your efforts are aligning with your goals. It also gives you a way to track progress throughout the year. A marketing agency, like Addison Clark, can help you put together an effective strategy for the new year that will help set your business up for success. By sharing this strategy with your team, you can ensure that everyone is working in a cohesive manner towards the same goal. 

2. Define "success". Success looks different for everyone. What one business would consider a success may not be what you're aiming for. Take some time to consider what success looks like for your business and aim for that in your marketing, sales, and business goals. 

3. Educate yourself on trends that could affect your business. A business cannot be successful with its head in the sand. Know the trends that could impact your industry and decide which ones make sense to embrace and which ones to disregard. This will prevent you from falling behind the curve in the new year. 

4. Focus on your customers. At the end of the day, your success depends on your customers. Think about what they're expecting and wanting, and find ways to improve that experience for them in the new year. Customers are expecting more from businesses than ever before, so it's important to find ways to exceed expectations in order to build loyalty in the new year. 

5. Take stock of your brand presence. What brand pieces do you have out there at the moment? Do they need to be updated in the new year? Websites, brochures, business cards, social media profiles, email templates...all of these things age and grow outdated with time. They also represent your brand so don't neglect them! Now is a good time to take stock of what needs to be updated and fixed. 

A new year is full of fresh opportunities. With the right strategy in place, your business can successfully meet your business goals for 2020. Set yourself up for success by preparing now!