The New Year is a good time to think about reinventing your business

by Jean Shea Tuesday, January 3, 2012 Here we are once again off to the start of a brand new year. I always enjoy the anticipation of what lies ahead. Some things reoccur annually, so I pencil those in right away on my Day Timer. But there’s still a lot of time and time slots waiting to be filled. And that brings me to the point of my first blog of the New Year.


What’s in store for you in 2012? Is it going to be pretty much a repeat of 2011 or is the year the year when you plan to try something new with your business.

Call it a reinvention or maybe just a refresh, but the demands of the market and your clients – not to mention your own personal and professional aspirations – require doing something differently.

If you are feeling stumped about where to begin making change or even thinking about it, ask yourself the following four questions. I read them in a USA article a few years ago so for me they’ve become kind of a New Year’s mantra:

• What if I were just starting out, what sort of things would I do?
• What would be fun and exciting?
• Where is the opportunity?
• What can I offer that is different?

If you were starting out today, what would you want to incorporate into your menu? Do you want to do more event-driven treatments – something for couples on Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day packages?

Maybe you can partner with other professionals like hypnotherapists or nutritionists to offer an even more comprehensive service? Are you as up on aromatherapy as you’d like to be? There lots of opportunities to do new things, learn and offer more value to your clients.

Would it be fun and exciting to redecorate your salon or spa or even take on new space? Think about giving your business a new look to go with an expanded service offering.

If you are looking for opportunities, think sports massage or prenatal. These are growing areas with huge client potential.

Offer something different. How about new body treatments along with your massage? There’s a lucrative opportunity and no doubt many of your clients would love it. Body treatments also enable you to bring in retail offerings, which is another way to grow the bottom line.

Maybe you’re feeling your business isn’t ready for an ‘extreme makeover.” It will however benefit from a bit of refreshing.

Take time to ask yourself the questions I’ve posed. You may find some surprising answers and more than that, you’ll pleasantly surprise your clients in to the New Year.