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Show-Ring in the New Year

Friday, December 29, 2017

Lifestyle

It’s nearly a New Year, which means it’s time to reflect upon the last 12 months. During this period of reflection, most of us take note of things we didn’t quite manage or areas where we can improve. Maybe we’re vowing to once again get a gym membership this January, but unlike previous years, we plan to actually use it. Yes, New Year’s always signals a time to set goals for our self-improvement. But, have you thought of creating New Year’s resolutions for your showpig operation.

I know it may sound silly to add to your list of “shoulda, coulda, woulda,” but setting goals is an important part of any business – livestock included. Here are some tips the Showpig.com team put together to help you start the New Year off with a plan for your success in 2018!

FOLLOW UP ON YOUR FOLLOW UP – Have you stayed in contact with your customers, mentors and business influencers like you should have? If not, the New Year is a great time to check back in and fill in the cracks in your follow up. Perhaps, it is time you circle back to that family who purchased a barrow from you last year to see what happened with their showpig project. Business, like a golf swing, often comes down to your follow through.

MAP IT OUT – You’ve probably heard this before, but it’s not really a goal unless it is put down onto paper as part of a plan. If you want to market more showpigs in the next year, then you need to brainstorm steps to make that a possibility. By breaking down your larger goals into manageable tasks, they don’t seem so daunting, and you can more easily stay on track. (We know a website that can help you market more pigs, and it rhymes with Showpig.com.)

EXPERIMENT – The path to success is seldom a straight line, so while you’re finding your way through the twists and turns take time to experiment. Now, we don’t mean completely derail your train heading for your goal with an off-the-wall idea, but sometimes it’s a good idea to do a little independent R&D. Perhaps, it’s something as simple as breeding one sow to a boar that has intrigued you or simply running a different type of advertisement each month to see which one gets the best results.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF – This may seem like a crazy tip, but as a business owner, you’re the business. As livestock producers, we find ourselves being the CEO, COO, decision-maker, marketer and manual laborer for our budding businesses – sometimes in addition to working a full-time job. That’s a lot on your plate, and it may be easy to stretch yourself thin, but remember you are the business. Without you things don’t get done, so you need to take care of yourself to take care of your business. This goal makes those “go the gym,” “sleep a normal amount,” and “try to eat vegetables like an adult” resolutions make a lot more sense.

LOOK TOWARD THE FUTURE AND ENJOY THE NOW – It’s often said, if you’re not moving forward you’re going backward. There is more truth to this than you know, so hard work is a necessity to create and maintain your business. But, don’t get so caught up in the struggle that you forget to enjoy the now. Too often we look at resolutions as the things that will make us happy once we get there, but happiness is most easily found in the present.  So, try not to sweat the small stuff on your way to the top and relish your day-to-day.

Remember, the Showpig.com team is here to help you reach your goals in 2018. We have the expertise to assist with your sales, marketing, web presence and more. All you have to do is shoot us an email or give us a call, and we’ll be happy to strive right along with you as you reach your goals.