2023 is around the corner and it is the best moment to turn off your phone, light the fire in the fireplace, sit down in front of your laptop, your papers and check-up the past year. Before starting to imagine the future, to create new goals, to dream of new challenges, it is important to know where you are NOW, before thinking about where you want to go. Then you can draw a path between both!

ACCOUNTING

I know it is not the sexiest part of our jobs, but it is one of the most important! Not only you have to know how much money you earned, but HOW and FROM WHERE you earnt it during this year. I actually use a software that I love very much StudioNinja, and I have an annual sheet, which allows me to see clearly the amounts month by month. In addition, I have another sheet where I insert all the amounts but by category and by regions (as I work all over the world, it is interesting for me to know where it is more profitable to focus). As I always try to optimize my workflow, I have decided to create my own 2023 main sheet with another option of “tag”, to link each new invoice in a category. Next year, I will not have to put each amount twice to know where it comes from!

PRICING

A new year is coming, and it is one more year of experience and reputation for you! These experience and signature have value, and every year, it is important to re-evaluate your rates (even if you decide to keep the same prices, take a moment to check them). Check your collections, your packages and each price per hour if it is the way you work. If you sell products, check if your providers are going to increase their own prices, to be ready to start 2023 with everything perfectly in order.

COMPETITION

It is a long debate, and I have my own and personal opinion about competition (about my own business, I just do not look at them – literally, I do not follow them on social network etc…). However, concerning your business, it would be interesting to analyze the activities of people who are in the same field as you. Knowing your opponent will really help you to have the answers when the leads are going to compare you with the others!

CLEAN

The website, social networks, the Little Black Book (to download free on the website!), clean the place as much as possible for you to be able to have a clear view and put a strategy in place without being bother by some crumbs. Finish quickly all the jobs in progress, and be ready for the next step!

REORGANIZE

Check everything in progress and find a way to optimize it (Sheets about your clients, software, contracts in progress…). Use the Free Sheet THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK to put all your contact, information and do a follow up. If you do not use a specific software, try to optimize and make your life easier about all the administrative part. Check that all old contracts are completed and those in progress are updated. Send emails about unpaid invoices if necessary, and be as clean as possible to start the New Year!

Indeed, cleaning, resetting, are not the funniest part of having a business. Nevertheless, it will allow you to start on a better basis when it comes to putting a strategy in place. You can see where you want to go, how to go there, only if you know where you are now!
Are you ready? Then let’s go!