A new year is fast approaching, and it’s the perfect time to take stock and make a plan for how you want your year to pan out. Are you looking for inspiration? Read the below for some awesome business-boosting ideas!

“I don’t make New Year’s resolutions as a rule,” reveals Di Hassall, the designer behind Diane Hassall footwear, “but this year I have. So my business resolution is to get out of the studio and spend more time engaging with my customers in their shops.

“It’s easy to be busy with so many different things that you don’t get out enough so it’s time to change that!”

Richard Lill, the Director of Lionheart Portfolio, representing Ladybird and Emma Charlotte, wants to focus more on talking too: “For 2018, I want to further encourage the dying art of conversation. We are an industry that is based on being sociable and personable.

“With the trend being to communicate by email, we are all in danger of losing that one to one relationship with each other; email can’t convey how we truly feel but a good chat can, and happiness breeds success.”

Claire Mischevani, the designer behind bridal brand and boutique Claire Mischevani Couture, has high hopes for 2018 and will continue to follow her favourite business quote: “2017 has been a really exciting year in business, and as times change I will be going into 2018 with hope for an even more exciting year!

“I live by the quote ‘Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.’ I have had some real pinch-me moments in 2017 that I never dreamt would be possible, but hard work does always prevail.”

See more: The most magical bridal Christmas window displays

Maria Musgrove, owner of Pantiles Bride, is being inspired by the traditional New Year’s resolution themes off fitness, health and learning a new skill: “Detox, cleanse, re-focus and create competitive advantage are the themes for 2018. We want to buy less and sell more to fewer brides at a higher price point.

“We also want to lose labels to strengthen our core and focus on our ‘Pantiles Bride’. We’ll be culling any samples that aren’t selling and shipping them off to an outlet, and planning some sample sales.

“Cleansing our data will help us do dedicated mailings that can help us understand our brides and bring more sales to us. We’ll also be doing a health check on all our digital processes – high followers on a social media platform is great, but engagement? I haven’t a clue and I tend to avoid statistics like the scales after a bingeful Christmas.

“Creating a club culture for our brides is a resolution too. Millennials love to belong and we can align ourselves with brands with similar values – luxe, longevity, and if they are local that’s even better. We can then request exclusive offers from these brands that can be offered to all customers who become a ‘Pantiles Bride’.

“Finally – boot camp meetings with a focus on improvements, product knowledge, sales conversions and much, much more.

Read more: Maria’s top tips for how to guarantee a sale

“So am I really going to do any of this? According to Philip Clarke, psychology lecturer at the University of Derby Online Learning, the biggest mistake is that many people identify what they want to achieve but do not think about how to do it.

“Luckily for me (or not), my manager Alexandra is witness to these resolutions and threatens to yell at me in true personal trainer style when I’m making all my excuses for not having started on even one of these by the end of January…”

Caroline Bradley, director of digital content agency Sorella + Co, is all about taking time out for her own brand in 2018: “My New Year’s Resolution for my business is to take more time focussing on my own brand - whether that’s blogging on my website, designing new business cards or focussing on my own social media. It’s too easy to get caught up with customers and not give your own company the attention it deserves and needs.”

Feeling inspired? Make sure you read Caroline’s top tips for preparing your business for all those newly-engaged brides!