As we enter 2023 we are bombarded with motivational messages, encouraging us to become our ‘best selves’ for the year upcoming, but when it comes to New Year goals we should be thinking wider.  

The New Year brings with it motivation and forward focus, so a great time as any to start setting your business goals.  You might ask yourself, why do I need to set business goals?  

 

Why set business goals 

Think of your business goals as the map for success for your business. Having goals gives your company a sense of purpose and makes it clear what you, as a business, would like to achieve. Having clear cut goals can also keep employees motivated and provide a better insight into what is expected of their performance.   

  

How to set your business goals  

Setting your business goals might feel like a dauting task and you may feel like you’re not sure where to begin. Here’s three things you can do to help set your business goals.  

Know your company’s long-term vision  

Knowing what you want your company to achieve in the long term will determine what your short term goals should be. For example, if your long-term goal is to offer your product globally, then your short term goal may be to research into cross border trade and determine what is the best way to begin this process.  

Setting smaller, short-term goals will give your business something to continue to work towards and keep your focus on your vision.  

Ensure your setting SMART Goals  

Setting goals is fundamental for success but making sure the goals are SMART is the key to achieving your business goals. SMART is the acronym for  

Specific  

Measurable  

Achievable  

Relevant  

Time Bound  

Taking each of these into consideration whenever setting your business goals will be the basis for implementing an effective strategy and also will be used for evaluation and to easily determine if business goals have been achieved.  

Set realistic KPI’s  

Key Performance Indicators are vital for tracking your business performance and measuring how your business is progressing towards set goals. Examples of KPI’s might include increasing your social following by 5%, increasing conversions on your website by 2% etc.  

It’s important to make your KPI’s realistic for what your business can achieve in an allocated time frame.  

 

What business goals should I be setting? 

When it comes to what business goals, unfortunately we can’t tell you what you should be doing, it all depends on your business and what you hope to achieve. Every business is unique, and your goals might look different to your competitors or other businesses you know.  

You know your business better than anyone else and you decide what direction you want to take.  

At Johnston Financial Solutions our clients are typically seeking financial support to help achieve their business goals. Here are some of the common business goals that we have seen and have been able to support our clients achieving; 

Expanding your physical premises  

Purchasing a larger space for your business is a goal for many as it signifies growth of the business. We have supported clients over the years scale up their premises and helped our clients secure access to finance to make this possible.  

Increase your services/product line 

Is 2023 the year you increase your product portfolio? Maybe you require short-term finance to make this a possibility. There is a wide variety of finance options available, at Johnston Financial Solutions we can introduce you to a diverse panel of lenders, mainstream banks and alternative funders.  

Recruiting new employees  

Expanding your team is a significant milestone for many SME’s but growing a team comes with big responsibilities. If you are planning on making growing your team a business goal in 2023, we would recommend you ensure your that adding additional members to payroll is a feasible long-term possibility for your business.  

 

Interested in finding out how Johnston Financial Solutions could help you achieve your business goals in 2023. Book a call with Mark today to find out more.