It is now weeks into 2010. Small businesses and startups owners should have started working on their plans and resolutions for 2010. If you have not set up any goals or plans for 2010, you might be losing out to the 30 entrepreneurs and small business owners in the list below.
In this article, 30 entrepreneurs and small business owners with different backgrounds and experience has agreed to share with you their New Year resolutions, aspirations and plans for 2010. As an entrepreneur reading this, this will provide you with not only business tips, but also perspectives from different industries heading into 2010.
Let’s get started and I hope you’ll have your own business resolutions ready.
Generate Publicity Through Interviews
The major aspect of my business I will focus on in 2010 is spending more of my time generating publicity for my company by providing expert marketing quotes to the media for business websites, blogs, magazines, newspapers, etc.
My goal is to be interviewed by a minimum of 50 magazines and/or newspapers and I think that goal is very attainable. This will get my name and my company’s name in front of millions of prospects while building my reputation as a master marketing expert.
Thanks: Peter Geisheker, CEO of The Geisheker Group Marketing Firm
Ramp Up Efficiency and Hire More Staffs
Our business has been suffering a sluggish growth, mainly because I as an owner was too hands on and not concentrating on the work that really mattered. We also expanded into a new territory too quickly (we actually launched a second business 4 months ago). While the new business is exciting, it also distracts me and pulls me off track from running our core business.
In 2010, I will be focusing on building systems that can help us increase efficiency and hire additional staff to help growing the companies healthily.
Thanks: Cindy Lin, General Manager, EcoJoe
Aggressive Marketing and Promotions
In 2010, we will continue to focus on growth and creating revenues. To grow our business, the following strategies will be executed:
- Strategically develop our keywords (including language) based on our target customers and services.
- Register for more RFP databases.
- Target industries projected to grow in the next 10 years (healthcare, energy, technology, education and infrastructure industries).
- Attend conferences, join more industry groups, hire persons with related experiences and join boards of related non-profit organizations.
- Obtain various small, disadvantaged, minority and women owned certifications and promote our business to larger marketing firms seeking supplier diversity partners.
- Offer pro-bono services to organizations who share our mission and offer experiences needed to expand our scope of services and market.
- Launch our own PR and marketing campaign to establish a presence among end users who may refer our company to their employers.
Thanks: Crystal Kendrick, President, The Voice of Your Customer
Build a Stronger Personal Brand Recognition
I plan to build on the successes of 2009 rather than worry about the lows. I used 2009 to build my name recognition. This resulted in more success than I even imagined.
I ended up being featured in numerous magazines including National Geographic, Investor’s Business Daily, Go, Insight, and many more. I was also featured in more than a half dozen books, several newspapers and numerous major blogs. One of my illustrations appeared in a New York Times’ bestseller and one is now in a book for Victoria’s Secret. I was interviewed by the New York Times twice and Wall Street Journal once.
I was recognized as an artist, a visionary environmental designer and for my insights into art as an investment. The tremendous amount of exposure that I have received has upped my status as an artist many fold.
Thanks: Pablo Solomon, Artist and Designer, PabloSolomon.com
Enhance Customer Acquisition Funnel and Experience
I am focusing on improving the conversion rate from my casual website visitors to appointments/sales. I’m hoping to put together a really compelling initial offer (for my industry, probably a book of insider wedding planning tips), followed with a series of automated email followups.
I am also going to work on an even more holistic customer process, from the first inquiry to the followups, which I think will garner recommendations all along the way, not just after the service happens. If every step of our interaction is unusually great, they will start talking about my company before we even get to the event we’re planning.
In these economic times, it is even more important to stand out as the vendor who provides exceptional, personal service. Our customers are NOT just looking for price, or they would all be driving smart cars, wouldn’t they! They are looking for an outstanding experience at a price they can justify.
Thanks: Celia Milton, Wedding Pastor and Celebrant, CeliaMilton.com
Deal with the Media Better
After recently being named Entrepreneur Magazine’s College Entrepreneur of 2009, we recently received a flood of media attention. All this is great and we absolutely love the publicity we are getting but in the new year, our management team needs to have a better, faster and more efficient way of dealing with the media.
Be it automated newsletters or phone secretary services or even hiring a PR firm, we really need to sit down and focus on how our company can take full advantage of this limited opportunity, all while working to get our digital receipt software implemented on client’s campus!
Thanks: Bradley Ericson, CEO, 3SecondReceipts
Acquire Clients Through Teleseminars
I plan to host several teleseminars following a proven format to increase my client list and promote my coaching services and information products. I will also add a team member to assist with some of the administrative things I shouldn’t be doing.
I want to do better at tracking – tracking responses to email campaigns, tracking my finances, and tracking client acquisition cost and average profit per client in the year.
Thanks: Ann Ronan, Ph.D., Authentic Life Institute
Reevaluate Suitability of Marketing Strategies
After spending the last year focused 50% on speaking engagements and seminars, 25% on online presence, blogging, writing my book, and 25% on individual consultations with clients, I’ve decided to change my business model so I don’t get a heart attack at 30.
I’ve realized that as a natural introvert, it’s hard to put so much energy into speaking in front of large crowds. I’m going to spend more time online promoting my current book, "The Anti-Resume Revolution" and writing my next book, which is more natural and comfortable for me. To give up public speaking and do something easier makes me feel like I’m failing, but I’m really putting myself in a better position to shine in 2010!
Thanks: Angela Lussier, 365 Degrees Consulting
Explore New Markets as Business Environment Changes
I will be focusing almost exclusively on growing a new area of my business dedicated towards helping other entrepreneurs to build their own professional looking web sites. I am a professional web developer and have been doing this for 12 years, but it was just in the past year that my efforts have focused more towards the front-end and SEO.
I want to help other people to grow their businesses online and get a huge competitive advantage over corporate America. I really think we are at the beginning of a revolution in which all the rules about business are changing. The Internet is a big part of that and enabling social connections for the purpose of business. I am thrilled to be a part of it all.
Thanks: Sara Morgan, Consultant, Custom Solutions
Explore Existing Business for Future Opportunities
I started an organizer business a little over four months ago. One of the major aspects that my business will focus on in 2010 is the implementation of new advertising strategies (learning about marketing and sales).
Other than that, I would love to have the opportunity to learn about carpentry and the market price of belongings (selling through flea markets, estate sales, antique stores, etc.). Learning more about participating in the “green” movement of recycling, reusing, and reselling items will be one of the major aspects too.
Thanks: Joyce Wilde, Organizer and Transition Coach, Joyce Wilde Services
Grow by Leveraging Existing Customers and Users
This past year, due to the struggling economy, many of our customers cut back on our advertising service. Innkeepers who were trying to save money actually ended up losing profit by not marketing with us. On the whole, although the travel industry has been hit hard, bed & breakfast inns appeal to travelers who are looking for affordable trips closer to home. Basically, our focus in 2010 will be growth through an expanded customer base (innkeepers that use our advertising services) and B&B guests (travelers visiting our site).
Within the travel industry, the B&B sector has been slow to embrace new technology. Integrating new technologies will be a key aspect to our growth and BnBFinder.com is working on developing new applications which will promote our business as well as our industry.
We are already ahead of the curve when it comes to social networking. We were the first business in our industry to have a blog and we will continue to be on the cutting edge of new social networking tools.
Thanks: Mary White, BnBFinder.com
Focus on Growth and Marketing
We plan to grow in 2010. The major components of that growth will come in the forms of our first print editions (first launch slated for January 2010), a robust features section on our site comprising short stories, non-fiction and photo essays, and an expanded marketing effort targeting our core audiences in New York, San Francisco and the LA basin.
Thanks: Ben Fuchs, Publisher, Dunce Cap Quarterly
Promote Business Automation Using Technology
The major aspects that I will focus on for my business is increased automation of it via technology, specifically learning to use and integrate autoresponders into my business for events and classes so that I spend less time following up with people interested in my classes, but still maintain a viable presence.
Thanks: Taylor Ellwood, Business and Social Media Coach, Imagine Your Reality
Understand Customers Better and Better Product Line Management
We plan to make a major shift in our new products area. In the past, our best selling products have been custom orders. That is difficult to market and sales have not made it to our projections. Our plan is to take one technique/style and apply it to all our products and make fewer varieties. For example, we are working on a weaved technique and plan to make every purse, wall hanging, bag, etc. from this weave. Each year we will feature a new line.
In an effort to improve, one needs to know the place for improvement. It is our goal this year to find out what our customers (and potential customers) want/need and what they like or don’t like in dealing with online "green" companies. This will give us the information we need to start making needed improvements to better serve our clients.
Thanks: Tina Wick, Owner, Greenpurse
Stay Passionate and Have Fun
I started my second company this year and I have a simple rule about end-of-year forecasting/planning for the coming year. I set 4 goals I need to accomplish in the next year (anything less, and I really need to reevaluate my passion for the business):
- Set-up new distribution channels
- Hire more people
- Schedule speaking engagements
- Have fun
The secret to success for the small business owner is create your own luck. You need multiple (dozens) of initiatives floating out there. If you don’t, you get stale, and your business will probably not survive.
Thanks: Todd Schoenberger, Managing Director, LandColt Trading, LLC
Build Community and Scale Effectively
Growing our community of business owners will top the priority list. Right now we have about 78,000 business owners in our community and we have targeted 150,000 by end of 2010. This means we’ll place a big emphasis on lead generation activities. I’m writing another book (my 8th) that we’ll target giving away 100,000 copies in 2010. We will be strengthening our affiliate program and use joint ventures to reach more business owners. Finally, our live event schedule has been stepped up to reach more business owners.
We are looking to building our tele-sales team and capacity too. Our consulting program for business owners has proven to be an incredibly popular and in demand program at all our live events. I have cut back my personal travel schedule for 2010. This means we can scale the way we want in order to present the program effectively and enroll new clients via phone.
Building our core operational systems will be crucial this year to allow smooth scaling process. Also, we are hard at work at building out the lead flow systems, sales scripting, and hiring processes to make this a huge success.
Thanks: David Finkel, CEO, Maui Mastermind®
Launch a Charity Arm
WyzAnt maintains a searchable directory of nearly 20,000 tutors, providing in-home lessons for over 130 different subjects across the country.
Ever since we started the company in 2005, we’ve wanted to apply our business model (wide scale tutor-student matching) to the volunteer realm. A recent poll of our tutors indicates that 87% are interested in providing volunteer tutoring to underprivileged students in their communities. With this volunteer manpower at hand, in addition to a private donation from a WyzAnt investor, we have the essential foundation in place for a program called “WyzAid”, that we plan to implement in 2010.
More about WyzAid: One Entrepreneur’s Resolution: Do Well by Doing Good
Qualified organizations, which may include schools, children’s hospitals, Boy’s and Girl’s Clubs, and other non-profits, will be able to login to WyzAid.org to find volunteer tutors for deserving students. Ultimately, we’d like to grow the volunteer tutor force beyond that which current WyzAnt tutors can provide. This means wide-scale recruiting of new volunteers and building more relationships with organizations in need.
WyzAnt would like for WyzAid to grow into a highly utilized and effective national charity with enough scale to make a difference in the education of our country’s students.
Thanks: Andrew Geant, CEO, WyzAnt
Improve Operational Systems for Growth
In our fifth year of business, it is time to look at our systems, partners and procedures. I plan to review our processes and improve them to set us up for growth over the next 5 years as we go from 6 franchisees to a goal of over 100.
Thanks: Allison O’Kelly, CEO, Mom Corps
Build a Better Online Presence
Some of our commitments/resolutions for 2010 are the following:
- Improve our website by making it more user friendly and easier to navigate
- Go full swing into social networking. We will tighten up and use LinkedIn, create a Facebook Page, a blog and commit to submitting articles twice a month. We will also create videos featuring our printing techniques – screen-printing, embroidery and wide format, and post them onto YouTube.
- Outsource more artwork and review all employee responsibilities.
Thanks: Marian Gordon, Yippee Print & Marketing
Diversify Services While Maintaining Quality
In our company the main focus will be broadening our services in order to completely support our clients in the model of a “one-stop-shop” kind of format. We are taking our traditional printing company and adding to our design department, interactive marketing and online creative plus email and social media services.
Allowing our customers to build upon their visibility and differentiation in their industry while only having to coordinate this outsourcing with one account representative; this will afford our clients the opportunity to really focus on what they do best, their own unique products or services.
Improving on our services each year is a constant goal for us. We are “customer-centric” and we improve by giving more value added services to our current customer base while striving to grow in new markets. We are completely involved in satisfying our customers in every aspect or our services and We push ourselves to ask what our client’s truly needs in their process.
Thanks: Anya Downing, Design & Marketing Director, Imperial Image
Apply Laser-Targeted Marketing Strategies
My biggest focus for 2010 will be increasing revenue thru effective marketing. Since I own an indoor kids play center for children under the age of 11, the primary focus of my marketing is moms between the ages of 25 – 40.
Because of this, I try very targeted marketing that I can track instead of the costlier blanket approach such as radio and television. I know that those types of advertising have their place, but as a small business owner with a very tight budget, I cannot afford a marketing approach that I can’t track. The majority of my marketing budget goes into coupons that are brought in to be redeemed so I know where I get the most bang for my advertising buck.
Thanks: Matt Robison, Owner, Jump Around Fun Zone
Outsource Smarter, Focus, and Expand
We’re moving rapid pace out of "the dip" and I really want to make smart, better, strategic use of our outsourced admin support staff. This is in some ways a commercial decision – if they’re half the price I am, I can spend more time on client work and make more money.
But it’s more about quality of life. I got into business to have a better quality of life, so why not make a little less money but give someone else the stuff I don’t like/want?
Otherwise, areas of the business that we need to constantly improve are marketing and brand to establish trust and expand our reach beyond our core US and UK markets.
Thanks: Andy Hayes, Founder, Travel Online Partners and Sharing Travel Experiences
Set Up Partnerships and Strategic Alliances
For iBlue, our main competitive edge is our commitment to becoming strategic allies with our partners and clients. By building a business based on long-standing relationships with satisfied clients, we will ensure continued and sustained success.
We will also focus a great deal this coming year on partnering with other solution providers, whose solutions truly complement ours. Some companies we look to partner with are WiFi and digital signage companies. iBlue will offer the companies a unique partnership opportunity in which both companies will offer their services as a package to potential clients. Therefore, this would allow them to receive not only intense and effective marketing campaigns but the expertise and know-how of two spectacular companies.
Furthermore, iBlue will be searching for the chance to partner with investors that may see the potential that iBlue has and the possibilities this company may offer the mobile advertising/marketing world. We are willing to offer the investors a portion of ownership in the company in exchange for their financial support and business knowledge. This will ensure a win-win relationship that both iBlue and the investors will find invaluable.
Thanks: Mona Ismaeil, PR Manager, iBlue Mobile Advertising Solutions
Communicate Goals for Growth to Employees
In 2010, we will be focusing on growing our business at 1% everyday. That is the goal that is going to be posted on everyone’s office wall and desktop. Our main goal is to always scale the business, but this gives us a specific number to set our sights on. Additionally, we want to continue to support start-ups and expand our pro-bono program.
Currently, we support several non-profits and early start-ups at no cost to the business. Of course, it takes time and resources, but it is so personally rewarding for myself and for my team. We are also implementing major initiatives for the ever-growing social media aspect of our business. We will be “upping” our presence on Twitter, Facebook and in the blogosphere.
Thanks: Danielle Cuomo, Owner, Virtual Assist USA
Assist Stakeholders with Professional Development
In 2010, I am making a personal commitment to professional growth of the students and associates around me. I believe it is ok for people to “not know” as long as they know they “don’t know”. With that realization I want to help people preserve with integrity to always continue learning as they strive to reach their goals and vision. I feel this is best demonstrated by working closer with people helping them to see what they don’t know and helping them to overcome.
Thanks: Mario Tricoci, Founder/Owner, Tricoci University of Beauty Culture
Strengthen the Brand Through Multiple Channels
In 2010, we will speak to build our brand and build our audience. This will be done by extending our media reach. We will seek to expand our broadcast TV reach by either adding additional local TV coverage or trying to get a nationally syndicated TV show. We will also build our network of online syndication partners and will be adding Bravo TV to the roster of already impressive sites that feature our content.
We will also seek to integrate with cable providers to offer our videos through video on demand services. We want to build our mobile reach. We already have an iTunes podcast and want to launch a mobile app or game. We will also be extending into print as I signed a two book deal with Harper Collins and my first book, Food Slut, My Blackbook of Tips from Behind the Burner (a no-nonsense guide to being slim, fit and fabulous for women who live to eat) will most likely come out in 2011.
We will also seek to drive revenue opportunities through branded integration, advertorial content and e-commerce partnerships.
Thanks: Divya Gugnani, Founder and CEO, Behind the Burner
Push Hard Through the Startup Phase
2009 was our first year running the business, so the focus was mostly on getting the business up and running, with all of the lessons and growing pains that come from that. As a result, 2010 will largely be focused on taking those lessons and applying them. Examples would include clarifying and honing our policies, increasing our marketing efforts in a targeted manner, and expanding into new markets.
We want to improve by working smarter rather than harder, find ways to decrease overhead while maintaining (or improving) quality, and to make the ordering process more streamlined. For instance, one of the things I’m working on right now is looking into solutions for adding online ordering to our web page.
Thanks: Todd Post, Historical Chocolate
Answer Your Client’s Most Pressing Question
Nevada’s economic climate is unique. While most of the country is considered out of the recession, Nevada is still deep within it, and it doesn’t look like we’ll pull out of it just yet. Therefore, we’re focusing on preparing our clients for the “what if.” “What happens to my business if Nevada’s economy doesn’t pick back up in 2010?” We are working to ensure our clients have all the tools necessary to address this possibility head on.
Thanks: Ed Lubbers, Partner, Lubbers & Borg
Keep Clients Longer
My primary focus for 2010 is to increase client retention. To accomplish this, I plan to continue providing a superb, luxury experience in a serene atmosphere, while increasing the services and amenities that add value for my clients. I always want to provide my clients an experience, not just a service, and I intend to expand on that philosophy even more in the coming year.
Thanks: Ebony Sparks, Etsetera Lash Studio
Post Your Own Business Resolutions for 2010
I think most of you reading this would have lost count on the number of resolutions. There are only 29 business resolutions above. The only spot left is dedicated to YOU.
Do you have your business resolutions ready? Share with us in the comments section below!
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