Great In 208: 8 Tips For A Successful 2008
Kerri Pollard, General Manager of Commission Junction

For many people, a new year provides an opportunity for reflection and a chance to start a fresh page in their lives. The same holds true in business as companies roll over to a new set of goals. How can you take advantage of the brief lull between the holiday frenzy and the upcoming seasonal promotions? For those of you who didn't just answer "Take a vacation," here are 8 practical tips that will help you put your best foot forward in '08.

1. Reflect on 2007: What Worked? What Didn't?

Take some time to step back and examine how you did in 2007. There are two important questions to ask yourself when conducting this review: What worked well for me in '07? and What could I have done better? Are there any areas of your business that were neglected? Take a look at your actual performance in 2007 and compare it to past performance data. Did you generate more sales this year than last year? Which categories saw an increase or decline? What about your EPC - has it improved in the last 12 months? What contributed to your successes, and how can you continue that success into the New Year? Ask yourself these questions and use the answers to improve your business in 2008.

2. Set Goals for 2008: What Do You Want to Accomplish This Year?

Setting goals is one of the most important things you can do for your business. After reflecting on 2007, set some high-level goals for 2008. Maybe you'd like to grow your overall sales by 10 percent. Maybe you'd like to establish 20 new advertiser relationships. Whatever your goals are, it is crucial to think carefully about them and record them in some way. Write them on a piece of paper and tape it to the side of your computer monitor. Create a document and set a reminder to review these goals once a month. Find a way to keep your goals top of mind.

3. Gear up for Q1: Get Ready, Get Set, Go!

Once you've set some high-level goals for the entire year, it's time to dig in and nail down your plans for the first quarter. Make sure you are geared up and ready to get off to a great start. Have you planned which advertisers you will promote in the coming months? Be sure to pay attention to advertisers in key categories that relate to consumers' New Year's resolutions, such as Dieting and Dating, and also to advertisers in the Tax category. Also, look ahead to some of the upcoming seasonal promotions such as the Super Bowl and Valentine's Day promotions.

4. Plan Your Networking Events for 2008: It's All About WHO You Know

Everyone knows that networking is a vital component of a successful business. As such, make it a priority to look at the calendar and plan out which industry events you would like to attend in the coming months. By planning in advance, you can save yourself some money on flights, accommodations and other travel expenses. And you'll be able to look forward to events and prepare for them well in advance to make the most of each networking opportunity. Each event will enable you to establish, rekindle or solidify business relationships. Be sure to save a slot for Commission Junction University 2008 in the fall.

5. Review Your Web Site: How Are You Benefiting From That Analytics Package?

Take a look at your Web analytics reports from 2007. If you don't have any Web analytics for your site, this is a great opportunity to do a little homework and find a package you like. Google Analytics is a fairly popular package, and you can't beat the price. If you already have some kind of analytics package installed, review the data and look for ways to improve your site. Are there certain pages that are converting better than others? Try to figure out what specific qualities are helping those pages convert and apply that information to improve other pages on your site. Are there other areas of your site that could use a little improvement? This is a great time to make those changes.

6. Get Some Feedback: Reach Out to Your Site's Visitors

If you are having trouble figuring out your next step or how you can grow your business, consider consulting the best resource you have - your site's visitors. Reach out to your customers and ask them for feedback. Don't expect them to give you a definitive answer, but their input can help steer you in a new direction. You can post a brief Web survey to ask them what they like or don't like; or, you can contact users individually and try to get some more detailed feedback. Ultimately, these people are responsible for the success of your business, so it doesn't hurt to cater to their needs, when you can.

7. Promote Yourself: Try Something New

Your success depends on being able to bring visitors to your site. To that end, you can never do enough to promote yourself and your site. This is a great opportunity to test a new method of self-promotion. Take a stab at a paid search campaign. Try sending a newsletter to your users. Consider sending out a press release. Build out a page on a social network. There are countless ways to get your name out there; why not pick one and give it a try?

8. Clean House in the CJ Account Manager: Is Your Information Up-to-Date?

Spend a few minutes reviewing all the information about your company in the CJ Account Manager. Verify that everything is accurate and up-to-date. This includes your contact information, address and payment information, as well as all the details for your various Web sites and promotional methods. While you're in there, have a look at your Performance Reports and find any relationships that were unproductive (i.e., any advertisers for whom you generated no sales in 2007). Spend some time evaluating the relationships to ensure that you are not missing an opportunity and try to jump-start those that still have potential. Finally, consider removing non-responsive relationships to help you focus on your more productive ones. While this may seem mundane and non-critical, a few minutes spent on this now can save a hassle somewhere down the road.

You will inevitably be spending time relaxing with family and friends this holiday season, but don't forget that next year is just around the corner. It's never too early to start looking at new opportunities and planning for a successful year. We hope these 8 tips have given you some great ideas that will help you get off to a great start in 2008 and make it your best year yet.

Happy Holidays and best of luck in 2008!