Just resolve to be prepared as another new year gets under way

02 February 2009, The Business

As a new year starts, thoughts turn to new possibilities and opportunities. And for home-base businesses, there are many; new clients to be found and new ideas and products to be developed. Be sure you're well prepared and ready to make the most of all opportunities coming your way. Make the most of the first quiet weeks of January to get the house in order and step sure-footedly into 2009. Here are suggestions of what to focus on:

Marketing draw a 12 month PR and marketing plan, complete with targets and concepts. For example, set a goal of writing and distributing one press release each month. To give substance to the releases, base them on poll results, survey findings or a client testimonial with a seasonal flavour. Build your media database of contacts throughout the year so you get published in print, online and maybe even get yourself on the TV. Advances in technology see new and cost effective marketing channels come online every week so commit to trying some of them out in 2009: Start an e-newsletter, commission a video promotion or self-publish a book. The options are endless.

Costs - carry out and audit of costs to see if any can be trimmed. In my new year audit, I focus on IT, travel and stationary costs. With large corporate hungry to attract small business customers, there are some good deals to be found. For broadband offers, check out www.broadbandgenie.co.uk and to replace travel, consider group conference calls which can be done cheaply with www.powwownow.co.uk. Before you know it, you'll be cutting costs and travel time, whilst increasing efficiency.

Speed after calculating the outgoings, give thought to how you will spend to grow the business in 2009. The critical question here is what am I doing that would be best done by someone else? do you find yourself in the position of having no time for sales because too much time is being spent on admin? Ignoring customers on account of too long spent on product development? In which case, think about outsourcing non-core to someone who will do a good job, freeing up your time so it can be spent on big and important things like keeping and winning customers.

As we say at Enterprise Nation, 'focus on what you do best and outsource the rest' – this just requires working out what you do best and finding a support team to fill in the gaps. Working thorough this exercises at the beginning of the year is time well spent. It will give you a firm understanding of where the business is at and clarify your vision and hopes for the next 12 months. By the time you’re done, you’ll be perfectly to make 2009 the best year yet. Happy homeworking and Happy New Year!