Can you blimmin’ believe it’s 2016 already?! I remember when I was a kid and couldn’t even comprehend that there would be a 2016. It just seemed SO far into the future.

But, here it is, showing its shiny new face to us, full of anticipation and promise. A new year marks a fresh slate for us, both personally and in business, so how do we make the most of it?

How can we use this feeling of a clean start to make sure we reach our goals and get our businesses to where we want them to be?

There are a number of different ways. That’s right, there’s no one-step strategy that will have you bathing in dollar notes by June.

Instead, it’s all about figuring out what’s right for YOUR business and pinpointing where it is YOU want to be by the end of the year (just in time to start the shenanigans all over again!).

Err sure, thanks for the really unhelpful post, I hear you say. But gimme a min. There may not be a failsafe blanket tactic for everyone, but there ARE a few things you can do to make sure you’re really getting the most out of 2016.

How Can You Kickstart Your Freelance Business in 2016?

1. Figure out the lessons you’ve learned

At the end of last year, I spent a short while thinking about the lessons I’d learned for each aspect of my business (I even wrote a blog post on it!).

I sat down and thought about the place I was in at the start of 2015 and how I ended the year. Then I tackled some of the steps I’d taken along the way, and some of the major turning points I’d stumbled across throughout the year.

Not only did this help me see how far I’d really come (it’s sometimes difficult to see from such a close proximity), but it also showed me where I could improve my business and how I could go into 2016 in a stronger position.

For example, I learned that networking is SO important for any business owner. It’s not enough to just sit behind a screen all day and imagine you’re the only person left on the planet.

You have to put yourself out there, whether it’s in-person networking events, or connecting with like-minded people via social media.

I spent the first half of 2015 not networking AT ALL. Like, seriously diddly-squat. This year, however, I plan on networking it up to the max, joining in conversations wherever I can, and generally getting my name out there in real life and over the interwebs.

In 2015 I also learned that I needed to treat my freelancing services like a business if I wanted to keep on growing. I don’t want to be confined to the label of “freelancer” forever, so in 2016 I’m making big plans to build my business and add a selection of products to my roster of services.

2. Write down some solid goals

Here’s a crazy fact: in 2015, I didn’t have ANY goals. That’s right. I went into the year flailing around in the dark, not really knowing where I wanted to go or how I wanted to get there.

I just pootled along at the pace I’d always pootled along at. In 2016, I plan to change this entirely, because I ALSO learned in 2015 that having business goals is SO important.

Like, major important.

So, this year I’ve already written down a number of concrete goals for my business AND my blog:

• Income goals

I’ve written down what my income goals are for each month and how many clients/product sales I need to get there. Breaking it down into easy-to-digest chunks doesn’t make it as scary as thinking about the large numbers you’re want to reach.

• Client goals

By the end of 2016, I want to just be working with a select few ongoing clients. I love having regular peeps I write for because, a) I have a steady stream of income, and b) I really enjoy getting to know brands and helping them build their businesses.

Whether it’s how many clients you want to work with or what kinds of clients you want to work with, having a client goal is a great way to determine the direction of your business and give you a focus when pitching and sending out proposals.

• Blog goals

I have BIG plans for Wanderful World in 2016. Like, mind-blowingly big plans. There’s products, workshops, books, courses – all sorts that will help YOU grow your freelance businesses and get to where you want to be.

To do this, though, I realised I needed to put some goals in place. Goals like how many subscribers I wanted to get each month and how I’d provide enough value to get them. Goals like what products I wanted to release each month and the timeframe I’d have to put them together.

I now have a yearly plan that’s outlined month by month.

3. Plan in quarters

12 months. 365 days. 52 weeks.

It’s a long time to comprehend. So much can happen during a year and it’s difficult to know what will crop up and change along the way.

That’s why it’s a good idea to work in quarters when you’re planning your goals and the direction of your business. Giving yourself bitesize timeframes makes things MUCH more manageable, and you can reassess your actions and results much more often to see what’s working and what’s not.

Though I have a yearly overall plan of where I want to be, I’ve also planned out the first quarter of 2016 in minute detail – things like the blog posts I’ll write, the clients I want to pitch, and the exact timeframes for products I want to release.

4. Invest in yourself

To make money you need to spend money. Whoever told you otherwise is a tight bastard.

But I prefer to think of it as investing, not spending. And investing in yourself shows you believe in your business goals and your ability to get there. It shows you’re committed to getting what you want. And it shows you’re prepared to take the steps you need to get there.

You don’t have to invest thousands of pounds, but make sure you spend it on something that will improve your business; something that’s in line with your goals. You could consider:

• Tools to streamline your business

A lot of top-of-the-range tools require a monthly stipend. For example, I’m going to start shelling out for my email marketing service this year, because I want more features and to be able to automatically send my readers valuable information.

But it could also be tools like scheduling programmes, an invoicing services, or a planning app that helps you keep on top of your to-do list.

• Courses to improve your skills

There are loads of online courses geared towards all sorts of industries these days. You don’t have to attend an expensive university to learn more about the world and your business.

Remember that you’re a KEY part of your business and, just like your tools and systems, you need to constantly be updating your knowledge and making sure you’re on top of your game.

I have an exciting announcement at the end of this month about a course that might just be the thing you need this year. If you’re ready and raring to kickstart your freelance business, watch this space!

• Books

If a course seems like it’d take too much time (really, though, most online courses these days are self-paced so you can do things in your own time), you might start by buying a few non-fiction books that cover areas you’re looking to improve.

5. Cut yourself some slack

Remember there are 12 whole months ahead of you, so you don’t have to smash all your goals in the first 2!

So many people get to March and are upset because they haven’t reached their yearly income goals, or they haven’t landed the client they wanted to.

If you find yourself in this position at the end of the first quarter, go back and review what you’ve done so far and how you can improve that. But most of all, don’t kick yourself about it. Things sometimes take longer than we think, and we need to remember that things don’t happen overnight.

Okay, I have an AWESOME feeling about 2016. I think it’s going to be one of the best years yet! Are you with me?!