It’s a new year, you’re going gangbusters on setting goals and dreaming up what the next 365 days can hold for you and your biggest dreams…. with that, you’re probably feeling a little overwhelmed, a little lost, and you’re wondering how you’re going to tackle all these goals (and still have a life!) I hear ya, I got ya, today I am sharing the 5 biggest, best things you can do for your business in 2018!

1.) Start an email list:

Hear me out! I know this was on the bottom of your to-do list for last year or you at least started thinking about an email list… why? Because all the top marketers are talking about why they are important and with your ability to reach dream clients slipping away on social media (spoiler alert: only 6% of your audience is even seeing what you are sharing) it’s time to take ownership of your future and stop building your business on borrowed land! Email marketing allows you to stop screaming to the masses, stop trying to shout into the void, and hit “send” with confidence that your message is landing in the laps of people eager to hear more from you!

2.) Hire an assistant:

I know, I know, you can barely pay yourself… you’re working around the clock and you’re barely moving the needle. Why? Because you’re trying to do #allthethings. What would it look like if you could claim back a few hours of your life each day? What could you do that would help you drive more profits in your business? How different could this year look if you could hand off some of the tasks you totally dread and hate? Trust me when I tell you this: covet your time, not your money. You’ve got to spend money to make money and when you free yourself up more, you’re able to create better work and drive bigger profits.

3.) Batch work your content:

This is something I swear by when it comes to efficiency! What would it look like if you could set aside more focused days (you know, so you don’t have a million tabs open and you forget what the heck you were doing in the first place!) We’re doing more focused work and it’s yielding far bigger results. I hate to break it to ya but multitasking isn’t really a thing. Set aside days devoted to one task or project and then sit down and make it happen. When you can focus on one thing solely, you’ll accomplish it faster and you’ll leave your days feeling even more motivated to crush it tomorrow.

4.) Say “no” more:

I get it: FOMO is real… in fact, a lot of us have such bad “FOMO” that we say “yes” to everything. We’re so busy saying “yes” to everyone else’s requests that we forget OUR goals, our objectives and overcommit ourselves. This year, I want for you to say “no” to just about everything and spend this year betting on yourself and pouring your energy into your own projects. The truth is: everytime you’re saying “yes” to someone else, you’re saying an equal “no” to yourself. I’ve learned that it’s best to bet on yourself, invest in your own plans, and keep your head down to do your best work. Set aside a few hours each month to collaborate and work on projects with others but let that be the minority of your year.

5.) Get more personal:

We’re learning more each day about the power of human connection. People are far more likely to trust a business that has a personality behind it. While businesses may have been able to get away with only sharing their products in the past, I think consumers are getting better at spotting and blocking promotions, paid ads, and sales pitches. It simply isn’t enough to only share your work anymore!

One of the biggest things I’ve seen this year is a shift toward more authenticity and vulnerability online and through that, more depth of the connections we’re making with our clients, customers, and followers. If you really want to take people from simply followers to true fans, it’s time to focus on creating a brand that shares more than what you have to sell.

What are your predictions for 2018?

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