The first week of 2021 is over and as I started thinking about my plans for this year, I couldn’t help but ask the question – What will 2021 bring and how can businesses be ready for it? 

We can be optimistic about the new year and set our goals. However, it is important to acknowledge that 2021 will come with its own unexpected twists and turns. Be that as it may, here’s what I realised: entrepreneurs must remain confident that there IS potential, no matter what! As I engaged in conversations about this with my friends, colleagues and acquaintances, over the past week, they brought my attention to how the uncertainties make planning a huge challenge. My answer was three-fold: Review, Learn & Advertise. 

Review: Business leaders all over the world are reviewing the past year in terms of which strategies worked, which ones didn’t, what could’ve been done differently, and so on. All this reviewing is necessary, not to dwell on the past but come to terms to with the ground reality of what they have learnt from the reports about their customers and employees. For me, this exercise proved to be pretty helpful to set realistic goals while also understanding what the future holds for my business.

Learn: What falls in line next is reviewing and learning from what the competitors are doing and how they are starting afresh at this very moment! Who knows if peer business that inspires you to take up a completely unique & customised approach? Keep a lookout for unconventional strategies and instruments for achieving your business goals for this year.

Advertise: Lastly, turn to better alternatives for advertising. Exploring other options to get the best use of the money your business invests in marketing and advertising, is the best decision entrepreneurs can make for their business in 2021. Research about which marketing strategies will help you strike up an organic connection with your clients, customers and followers. Tell them what you are doing now, make them a part of your journey. Remember, businesses that flourish online flourish indeed!

As entrepreneurs, we must focus on preparing our businesses for success in 2021 instead of going-with-the-flow of the global market. Take risks, think about the opportunities around every corner and pick up the task of making 2021 the game-changing year for your business.

What do you think about my three-step plan for a successful 2021? Any suggestions about how we can make sure that our businesses grow this year? Comment below.