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By Sharon Jones

Hopefully, 2017 has been a great business year to look back on. There’s going to have been so many highs and lows for everyone. If you know you’ve been through your fair share of lows, don’t worry. There’s still time to learn from your mistakes to make 2018 a better year. The last thing you want to be doing is entering the New Year with some of the fails of 2017. But don’t worry if you feel like this year hasn’t been much of a success. You’re not the only one, and we’ve got a few tips to help you through into the New Year.

Better Systems

The main reason why some businesses lag behind others is due to the fact they’re not using the best systems. Whether that be their computers, or internal systems and programmes that you can install. There are softwares out there such as Microsoft 365 that can really help your business in so many ways. It has Excel for spreadsheets, and word for typing up reports. A lot of people, for some reason, chose to use online slower systems for the purpose of saving money. Realistically you’re doing the exact opposite, especially when everything is going to be slowing you down. The computers you work on also play a bit part in sales. If you’re working on something slow and outdated, you’re going to make half the amount of sales that your competitors are going to be.

Better Employees

Hiring and firing is one of the hardest tasks any boss will face. That awkward moment when you have to tell someone they’re not suitable for the role, or that they’re just doing a terrible job. It’s often the case that you dread the whole hiring process as well. But sometimes your employees are the exact reason why your business is failing. Every company has at least one person who is slacking. This lack of drive and motivation is ultimately what will determine the amount of sales you have. You need to have a workforce full of people who love coming into work, and who love to make the sales for you. If you notice someone slacking, or just doesn’t seem interested in the company, that awkward firing stage could lead to the hiring of someone amazing. Don’t be scared to take the risk.

Don’t neglect to encourage employee mental health, which could be the cause of employee malaise.

Your Sales Technique

Sometimes your sales technique just isn’t working for you. Until someone tells you you’re doing it wrong, you’ll probably be blaming everything else under the sun. But, if you take a step back and analyse your technique, you’ll realise flaws in your plan. Are you marketing yourself enough? Are you using the right marketing techniques? Are you customer service levels poor? They’re all things you need to be thinking about if you want to try and improve your sales technique.

So, there’s just a few ways in which you can make 2018 a better year for business. Don’t be afraid to try new tactics, and don’t be afraid to make the right decisions for your business. If you follow the little bits of advice above, you should have a successful year.