Happy New Year!

Make 2025 your best year by setting clear goals, seizing opportunities, and keeping a positive mindset!

As a business owner, the new year offers a great opportunity to reflect on the past year and focus on what needs to be done to improve your business in the coming year. To do this effectively, you need to approach it with an open mind and take responsibility for things within your control that went wrong or underperformed.

Before planning for the new year, take time to reflect on the past year and ask yourself: Did you reach your goals in both revenues and profits? If not, why not? To answer this question, I like to use the “Is-It Approach.”

What is the “Is-It Approach”?

I learned it many years ago when I was a salesperson for Lanier. Initially introduced as a sales tool, I have since successfully expanded its application to many other areas, including running a business and even resolving family and friend issues. The “Is-It Approach” is highly effective for identifying root causes and uncovering the real answers you need.

For example, let’s say you are selling a product, and it’s time to close the sale. The prospect shows resistance and tries to delay the decision by saying something like, “I need to think about this for a while. Give me a call next week.” Most salespeople would thank the prospect, leave, and likely never get the sale.

A successful salesperson, however, would use the “Is-It Approach”: Ask: Is it ______? Is it ______? Is it ______? This line of questioning can help uncover the real objections, providing you with the knowledge and insight to address them and close the sale. And if that doesn’t work, 90% of the time, this question will: What is it?

As you start the new year, make sure to set aside sufficient time early on to analyze the results of the previous year—both business and personal. Use this reflection to create a clear, actionable plan to make 2025 your BEST YEAR EVER!