5 Resolutions SMBs Should Focus on in 2023
As we enter 2023, we all have a list of New Year’s resolutions of our own. I, for instance, plan to travel to at least one new country this year, and our Marketing Automation Specialist Brad has already started his new fitness routine. The new year is a great time to reflect on and perhaps realign your values, not only on a personal level but also as a business. And if you’re currently grappling with how to move forward, we’ve picked out the top 5 areas we think entrepreneurs should focus on this year.
1. Don’t Let the Recession Throw You off Your Growth Plans
Let’s not sugarcoat it, we are in a tough economy and many small businesses are suffering from a global crunch. But better times will come, and your short-term pain will be followed by long-term gains. The challenge now is to think outside the box and find ways to bridge current roadblocks. That could be in the form of a small business loan or crowdfunding, entering a new market or demographic, starting to experiment and familiarise yourself with innovation. The adjustments you make to survive now could be the basis for your future triumphs. Most importantly, though, keep going!
2. Focus on Creating a Positive Work Environment
With many employees forced to work from home during lockdowns, in the post-pandemic era, flexible work is becoming the new normal. Reducing commute times and costs is obviously good, and most companies have found ways to create new channels for both communication and collaboration. The thriving SMBs in 2023 will be those that can be flexible to the wants and needs of their workers and make empathy their core value. By empowering your employees and helping them realise their potential, you’ll attract and keep talent that is critical to the success of your business.
“Creating a positive working environment can help keep workers happy and productive, thereby reducing the likelihood that they will look elsewhere for satisfaction.”
– Forbes, 2022
3. Build your Online Presence
The last two years have taught businesses one thing: you can’t afford to be without an online presence. And if you haven’t already, take this as a sign that it’s finally time to create a digital space for yourself (and we don’t mean a Facebook account). These days, it’s pretty easy to build a website on your own. At OnlyDomains, we’ve made it our mission to provide small businesses like yours all the tools they need.
Pro tip: If the whole creating a website thing seems overwhelming, here’s a guide that will walk you through each step.
4. Improve the SEO of your website
I’m pretty sure our SEO expert Francis would agree with me when I say that the most beautiful website is basically worthless if your customers can’t find it. And that’s where search engine optimisation comes in. After all, 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine. The higher your ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs), the more clicks and visitors you’ll get. Thankfully, to be found on Google & Co. you don’t necessarily have to spend vast sums of money. You can start with low-hanging fruit, like changing your page title and meta description, increasing the use of relevant keywords in your content and alt-texting your images.
Pro tip: If you have a WordPress site there are plugins like Yoast to help you out.
And while keywords are indeed important for your search engine optimisation, there are other factors to consider. See our SEO checklist for more details.
5. Do good for society and the planet
In 2023, you can’t start a business without considering its impact on society and the planet. Sustainability is a top-of-mind concern for governments and consumers around the world, influencing how people see brands and whether they buy from them.
Some ideas on how you can contribute to the greater good are:
- Donate a percentage of your sales to a good cause of your choice
- Offset your carbon emissions
- Plant a tree for every product sold
- Actively reduce packaging materials and transition to carbon-neutral materials
- Produce fairly and sustainably
The pandemic has taught us that it’s important to focus on the things that matter outside of work. Taking time off and focusing on your (mental) health is just as important as hitting your sales goals. So, here’s our final piece of advice for the year: take time to reflect, appreciate what you’ve already accomplished with your business, and continue to focus on a healthy work-life balance.
