Are you set up to increase profits in 2026?

Some business leaders don’t know their revenue goals. A lot do not have tangible goals for marketing activities that will generate profit from that income.

A starting place for 2026 is to ask yourself three questions:

1. What did the business bring in last year?
2. What’s the next milestone to that we want to hit?
3. Is increasing revenue enough or do we need to increase profit as well?

When you think about milestones, don’t think about “someday” goals. Think about real numbers for the next 90 days. You have to find something realistic to make that end of year goal.

If you don’t have a goal, try 15 percent. What would increase revenue by 15 percent in January, or in first quarter? If you don’t know, right now is the perfect time to bring a thoughtful, strategic element into your marketing.

Plan ways to connect with customers who will value your strengths. Maybe you need to sell more product, maybe you need to find more clients. What single thing would be the most effective?

December is the perfect time for market planning.  If you don’t have marketing objectives, stop what you are doing right now and either write down your revenue goal for next year or block off time to do it.

Once you have the revenue goal, write down three things you know you need to do to achieve it. Don’t overthink it. Just establish a starting place. Then get serious about working a steady, consistent process each week in the year ahead.

Revenue. Profit. Growth begins the moment you stop and ask what could be.

You’ve got this!

Carolyn