When you say January, you can't help think of new beginnings.  Every year it seems that the simple act of hanging the new calendar makes us take a step back, think about where we are and vow to do something to breathe fresh air into our personal or work lives.  As you think about new commitments and maybe even ponder a few New Year's Resolutions, we suggest that in these economic times, a return to the fundamentals may be in order.  Following are 3 simple things for you to consider doing to improve your business in 2009: 
 

1. Measure more.  You can't improve what you don't measure.  Vow to consistently and regularly measure at least one more thing in 2009 than you did in 2008.  The incremental information may make you look at a portion of your business differently than you have in the past.

2. Develop one new Standard Operating Procedure.  Some of life's sweetest low hanging fruit comes from simple little tweaks to the "way we've always done things around here."  Take a few minutes to catalog standard tasks or operations that you see done in a 2 hour period some day.  Show the list to your team the next time you meet and pick one from the list for everyone to tear apart and brainstorm how to do it better.

3. Listen Differently.  Everyone preaches that we all need to listen more. Try as we might, though, it seems most people fail pretty miserably at this, over time anyway.  Sometimes, meaningful and lasting behavioral changes come not from doing more of what we've always done, but doing it differently.  In 2009, find one new way to listen to associates and end user customers.  Maybe it's deploying a monthly e-survey that people can complete online in 90 seconds or less.  Or maybe you ride with a sales person on a call once a month.

 
All of the above are fairly simple and modest suggestions, which is why they can be pretty powerful.  Change can seem daunting if there is too much of it staring you in the face.   Consider tackling just one of something in early 2009 and use it to get your momentum rolling. 
Know your target audience. Who are your most important customers, clients or prospects, and why? Know what is important to them and address their needs in your newsletter each month. Include a photo to make your newsletter even more appealing. Inserting a link in your article lets you track which topics attract the most interest.