5 tips for a successful start to 2022

We all know the feeling: while December leaves everyone racing against the clock, January usually starts off a bit quieter. It's also the time of fresh starts, which makes it perfect for strategic planning and preparing for the day-to-day business ahead. Below, we've pulled together a few tips and to-dos – drawn from our own experience too – for getting 2022 properly off the ground.

1. Motivation

Get in shape for the restart!

The year is still fresh, and your team is well rested. Now's the perfect time to spread some motivation – both internally and externally. Maybe there's an innovation or team-building workshop that's been on the cards for a while, or a specific training topic that could pay off over the course of the year. Either way, it's worth checking now what potential you can unlock for 2022 – for you, and for your business.

And by the way: Covid will still be an issue this year too – so it's worth thinking about how to weave “remote” and “hybrid office” even more smoothly into your day-to-day operations.

2. Clear out and prepare

Give your CRM, inbox and filing a spring clean

Nobody's ever really in the mood to tidy up their contact list, their CRM or their inbox and work through (or reschedule) outstanding tasks – but January is the perfect moment for it. Free yourself and your team from analogue and digital clutter, and make room for something new – smart tools or process automation, say – that will make collaboration easier and measurably boost project results throughout the year. The more digitalisation shapes our day-to-day work, the more data there is to evaluate and manage.

3. New trends

Always one step ahead

January usually brings a flood of statistics (looking back) and forecasts (looking ahead) from research institutes and trend bureaus around the world. Check which information is relevant for you and your business, and how best to apply and implement it. A look back at the past year also helps internally, letting you gauge performance over the year – or a specific cycle – and draw the right conclusions. In our view, the trends worth a closer look include smart algorithms, video content, the metaverse and Web 3.0 (we'll cover that in a separate blog post).

4. Dates

Well planned is half done

Whether internal or external, now is a great time to start planning the year's dates ahead of schedule. Plenty of events that need forward planning can still comfortably be factored in now, without running into a bottleneck later on (and by the way: Christmas is on 24 December ;-)). Always keep a plan B in mind: over the past two years, we've got into the habit of building remote events into our plans too, in case an event has to be cancelled yet again.

5. Editorial calendar

Start collecting ideas and topics now

Social media and blogs only succeed when content gets published regularly. That's why we recommend taking the time in January to put together a yearly editorial calendar, with a rough outline of topics you already know about – key communication themes, events, internal news. It works both as a store of ideas and as a guide for the year ahead. Of course, plenty can still happen along the way – and that can simply be added in on the fly.

With that – take it steady, but stay motivated. The whole flame crew wishes you a successful 2022! P.S. Even if nobody wants to hear the word “jab” ever again, we've still got a few personalised motivation boosters in reserve, just in case ;-)