14 Great Articles on Making This Year the Best Year

Naturally, there’s been a lot of talk lately about New Year’s resolutions and how to make 2012 the best your business has had yet.  And if your business is like ours, it’s hard to find the time to look for great business reading. So, as a belated holiday gift for you, we put together a list of 14 of the best articles from the past week about how to create more growth and more success for you and your business in 2012.

Enjoy.

7.5 Things to Think About in the New Year
Gitomer.com
The sales guru and best-selling author, Jeffrey Gitomer, thinks this is the year that “service will trump price” and asks, “How is your service?”

Make 2012 The Best Year Yet
Fast Company
Packed full of links and ideas on how to make your business – and you – the best it can be.

7 Steps to Incredible Personal Productivity
Inc.com
One tip is to “delay gratification” – like listening to music while you work – until you reach a milestone or finish projects.

A Five Step Guide to Reinventing Your Business
Entrepreneur
Sometimes a big change is necessary for growth, so find the area of your business to reinvent.  “Entrepreneurs have more ideas than they have time for, the absolute first stage is deciding to cut off all those other ideas and focus on one.”

A Brighter Future — Maybe
Wall Street Journal
A glimmer of hope from the Wall Street Journal, this article indicates growth for us small business owners this year.  (I know we see are seeing growth in direct mail and online advertising, which is always a good sign that business is picking up.)

Be a Kick Butt Entrepreneur
CNN Money
Valuable lessons from inspiring, everyday entrepreneurs.  A severely wounded Iraqi wounded veteran urges you to, “Have a vision. Follow your passion. The money will come.”

Small Business Resolutions
Mashable
Pick the social media channel that your customers use most, and figure out how to interact with them there.

Restaurants Social Media Strategies for 2012
Nation’s Restaurant News
How top restaurant brands are applying last year’s lessons learned in social media to their strategy this year.

New Year’s resolutions that will increase your bottom line in 2012
Examiner.com
I like the first suggestion here to “get creative and incorporate gratitude in your marketing campaign and watch your sales soar.”

The Overwhelmed Small Business Owner’s Guide to Simplicity
Small Biz Trends
If your resolutions include de-cluttering or focus, this guide will serve you well.

Take a Networking Leap of Faith in 2012
Start Up Nation
The key to growth may be making new contacts, so make a plan to start networking.

Crucial Keys to Business Success in 2012
Inc.com
The key to success this year should start with a comprehensive SWOT analysis, or an assessment of your business’ strengths, weaknesses, market opportunities and market threats.

Small Business Resolutions For 2012 New Year Focus On Growing Sales
Gaebler.com
A new perspective on traditional resolutions.

Challenges and resolutions for small businesses in 2012
The Globe & Mail
Get inspired by resolutions from other small business around the country like Kevin Martin, president, Martin’s Family Fruit Farm Ltd., who rates his optimism for 2012 a “9 out of 10”.

Have you read any articles that should be on this list? Please share!