Digital Marketing and Business New Year's Resolutions for 2019

It’s the time of year when every self-respecting blog shares its top New Year’s Resolutions for the upcoming new year. Although the same blogs will admit that nearly one-third of resolutions don’t last past the first three weeks. 

Here at Four Tens, we’re sharing some of the things we considered when deciding on our resolutions.

1. Be more social: Social media is modeled after socializing in real life, so why not make both a priority during the new year? Small businesses need a social  media strategy that doesn’t stretch them beyond their means, while also getting the word out about their areas of expertise and offerings. Don’t rely only on the internet to find new customers. Finding ways to engage in your local community, through small business groups or similar interest groups, can give your customers a face to put to your business name. Here’s some resources to get you started: MeetUp​ – listings of regional networking and social events you can check outChamber of Commerce​ – local business communities that host events all the time Network After Work​ – not usually free, but worth checking out so you can meet regional professionals in your area. 
2. Work smarter, not harder: Maybe you already have a long list of things you would love to get ahead on in 2019, but there simply aren’t enough hours in the day! Maybe you want to be more strategic in your social media usage but don’t have anyone to devote to it. Outsourcing roles gives you more time to work on what you do best while still getting the job done. Have you read our post about budgeting for a digital marketer?​
3. Prioritize the work-life balance: Preventing burnout will keep the desperation away and leave room for inspiration to be more innovative in your business. Plus, your friends and family will thank you.  Time and project management tools can help. We’re partial to Asana​ for our project management and team organization. We also use Office365​ for all our online collaboration (since we’re remote). 
4. Always be learning: The differences between the people who want to do better in their jobs  and the people who DO better at their jobs is their commitment to personal development. With the internet full of learning resources, it doesn’t take much effort to find a new course or certification that can expand your knowledge into a new or somewhat familiar subject area. Here’s a few of our favorites: HubSpot Academy​ – Tons of free online learning tracks to choose covering marketing, sales and customer service. CodeAcademy​ – Learn to code and build your digital resume! TED Talks​ – Assortment of subject matter experts share their knowledge and insights on hundreds of topics. 
5. Give back to the community:  Millennials and Generation Z look to see if companies support community causes and give back to their local areas.  Volunteering feels good and makes a difference! Who knows who you might meet and help when you decide to give back? Need ideas? 3 Websites to Help You Find Volunteer Opportunities​

So,  which resolutions are we sticking with this year? We’re taking on the first (social) and the last (community) resolutions: we’re working on a fun, but feasible, social media strategy for Four Tens while also committing to a few hours of community volunteering every month for various causes. 

Look for upcoming photos of us with different causes over the next couple of months! 

What resolutions stand out to you the most? Is there one resolution that would be a huge challenge for you and your business? Stand up to the  test and face it head on! Let us know what resolutions you’re considering for 2019 (and beyond).

Good luck and Happy New Year!