With host retail coach Wendy Batten   https://wendybatten.com/podcast-intro/   In This Episode:  Make 2025 the best year ever in your retail business! In this episode of the Creative Shop Talk Podcast, I’m sharing how to do exactly that. I’ll share actionable steps for setting goals, vision-storming, and creating a strategic marketing plan. Whether you're a planner or not, this episode is packed with easy tips to ensure you are ready to hit the ground running in 2025. If you like this episode but need a little more, you can grab my on-demand Design Your Best Retail Year Ever on my website. Let’s dive in! Key Takeaways: Looking Back to Plan Ahead: Reflect on your business’s performance over the past year to identify what worked and what didn’t. Vision Storming: Craft a clear vision of what you want your business to achieve in 2025, focusing on growth, freedom, and profitability. Set Realistic Goals: Develop SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely) goals to align your vision with actionable steps. Create a Marketing Strategy: Design a marketing plan that matches your revenue goals and targets new customer visibility and engagement. Prioritize Your Team & Systems: Evaluate the support you need and implement systems that will help you reach your goals smoothly. Write out your 1-5 BIG Vision goals: for the year on one page and keep it close.  "A better year starts now. If you want to go from good to great, or fine to better, this is how we do it." -Wendy Batten Your Next Steps: Here’s what I want you to do this week. Commit to creating a plan, then grab the Design Your Best Retail Year Ever workshop, and schedule time to work through your business goals. And of course, you’re always welcome to join us in the Retailer's Inner Circle where we dig into this stuff even more! All of my courses are available at no additional cost to all members of the Inner Circle. Related podcasts we think you’ll like:  Episode 82: Five Steps to Simplify Your Content Planning Episode 136: Coffee Chat Breaks with Wendy: Annual Planning That Fills Your Life Buckets Episode 234: Simple Shifts to Boost Your Bottom Line This Holiday Season About your host, Wendy Batten In case we haven’t met yet, I’m Wendy, a small business coach and founder of the Retailer’s Inner Circle, where I help other independent shop owners learn how to gain the right business skillsets to see more profits, paychecks, and joy as they navigate running their retail business.  Through online classes, business coaching programs, speaking, and a top-ranked podcast, I’ve helped hundreds of retailers around the globe reclaim their dreams and see the success they want from their beautiful shops. My signature private coaching community, The Retailer’s Inner Circle, has helped retailers around the world build their retail business skill sets and confidence.  I am proud to have been featured in several major publications, including my own business column in What Women Create magazine. I have been privileged to be a guest on top-ranked podcasts and sought-after as a guest speaker and teacher for several brands, associations, and communities that are passionate about the success of independent retailers. When I’m not coaching, you will find me either DIYing and renovating my very imperfect old crooked cottage by the sea in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Lunenburg, NS, or blogging about our travel and RVing adventures and the weird fun things we get up to in our coastal village. I’d love to invite you to check out one of my free resources for real retailers at https://wendybatten.com/free-resources/    For more support from Wendy   Retailer’s Inner Circle - Join Wendy inside the best retailer’s community   Free resources for shop owners    Hang out and connect with Wendy on IG    All of Wendy’s programs and services for shop owners can be found HERE.  Subscribe & Rev