10 Tips for Looking Ahead and Planning for the Future of Your Small Business

The end of 2020 is just around the corner. So it’s the perfect time for business owners to think more about the future. Whether you’re planning for the holidays, 2021, or even further down the line, listening to the experts may help. Check out these tips from members of the online small business community for looking ahead.

Get Data to Help You Prep for the Holidays

Even though this year has been unique, the holidays are still likely to bring an influx of business for many. So preparing ahead of time is key. Data can be instrumental to your efforts. So check out the research in this Search Engine Watch post by Sarah Mehlman for details.

Adjust Your Business Model for 2021

This year has forced many businesses to adjust. But the ability to change on the fly is always important. And entrepreneurs will need to continue to flex this muscle in 2021. Ivan Widjaya explains a few adjustments for businesses to consider in this Noobpreneur post.

Help People Feel a Sense of Belonging on Social Media

People always want to feel like they belong. And that’s especially true during tough times. If you’re changing your social media strategy this year, applying this concept may help. Rachel Strella of Strella Social Media elaborates here. And members of the BizSugar community chimed in with their own thoughts as well.

Use This Guide for Building Organic Links

Organic links are helpful for any business looking to bring more traffic to their websites. But you can’t always control what other website owners choose to link to. So how can you improve in this area for your business? Leks Drakos shares a helpful guide in this Process Street post.

Leverage Documentary Storytelling in Your Marketing

Storytelling is becoming increasingly important for businesses looking to connect with their customers. And there are several styles that may help get messages across. The documentary style is one that more and more businesses are starting to use. Learn more in this UpCity post by Lysanne Louter.

Make Etsy Shoppers into Repeat Customers

Marketplaces like Etsy are useful for getting your products in front of lots of shoppers. But you have to compete with tons of other sellers as well. So how do you turn shoppers into loyal customers for your business going forward? Laura McLoughlin of Small Biz Daily explores the concept here.

Take These Steps After Incorporation

Once you incorporate your business, the paperwork doesn’t stop. If you’re trying to get a new business up and running in the new year, more steps are needed. Nellie Akalp goes over what comes next in this post on the CorpNet blog.

Walk the Line Between Strategy and Generosity

Many business owners change marketing strategies when they don’t bring in quick results. However, there are some key concepts that are always relevant, even if they take time to show dividends. Helping people is one, as Ryan Biddulph points out in this Small Biz Tipster post. Check out the discussion in the BizSugar community for more on the subject.

Learn from These COVID-19 Business Ideas

The pandemic has been tough on a lot of businesses. But it has also forced a lot of innovation. Moving forward, you can learn from these ideas and apply that type of thinking to your own operations. Read this DIY Marketers post by Ivana Taylor to see inspiring examples.

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

The pandemic has forced many individuals and business owners to step out of their comfort zone. This can be stressful. Or it can be a time for personal and business growth. Jamie T. Wiseman offers tips for making the most of these changes in this post on the Miss Millennia Magazine blog.

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This article, "10 Tips for Looking Ahead and Planning for the Future of Your Small Business" was first published on Small Business Trends