What are your business' goals and objectives for 2025? Start planning now!

In the dynamic landscape of business, setting clear objectives is paramount for steering your company towards its ultimate mission and vision. These objectives serve as guiding metrics, illuminating the path to long-term success. Whether you’re leading a small startup or navigating the complexities of a larger enterprise, identifying the right business objectives is key to charting your course forward. At the heart of this process lies the need for objectives that are measurable, specific, and time-bound—factors that Confluence Running embodies in its meticulous planning. By examining Confluence Running’s detailed explanation of their 2024 business objectives alongside the results and insights from their 2023 objectives, we glean invaluable lessons on crafting and executing effective business objectives.

Business objectives encapsulate the essence of your company’s overarching goals, offering a roadmap towards achievement. These objectives should align closely with your organization’s mission and reflect its core values. For instance, financial objectives such as profitability, revenue, and cost management stand as pillars of sustainable growth, ensuring the long-term viability of the enterprise. By setting clear targets in these areas, businesses like Confluence Running can secure the resources needed to propel their vision forward.

Moreover, customer-centric objectives play a pivotal role in shaping market positioning and fostering brand loyalty. Initiatives aimed at enhancing competitive positioning, expanding market share, and maximizing customer satisfaction underscore the importance of customer-centricity in today’s competitive landscape. As exemplified by Confluence Running’s strategic focus on customer satisfaction and brand awareness, these objectives serve as catalysts for building lasting relationships and solidifying market presence. Through a comprehensive exploration of diverse business objectives, companies can tailor their strategies to address key areas of concern and drive sustainable growth in an ever-evolving market landscape.

Question from The Running Event's Best Running Store's Evaluation

Please list three primary objectives for your business in 2024:

1. Confluence Running aims to strengthen its organizational structure and support systems to help employees become leaders in their communities and industry. This goal aligns with our core values of empowerment, community involvement, and service excellence.  Objectively, by the second half of 2024, we expect employees to confidently handle their initiatives and find resources for their development during performance reviews. We will emphasize building confidence and resourcefulness among our team members.
2. Improve Community involvement by 20% by working to expand our racing department via adding new races and growing what we have, but also being more involved in local races in our community by both sponsorships and participation and improving our group run  totals & special events in every location.  We are also attempting to develop an elite/sub elite racing team and ambassador program.
3. A focus of store growth through any gaps occurring, especially in the new store, Confluence Running, North Country (Watertown, NY), which has grown quickly to become our 3rd largest location.  Improve our merchandising game in all stores and focus on developing training on accessories and apparel along with continuing our Currex, Socks off the Wall, and other employee and customer incentive programs.

Confluence Running’s 2023 Objectives & Results

1. Improve customer relations by pivoting tactics and bringing the “community” to them through the use of a unique shop magazine (“Confluence Magazine” which includes content oriented toward general running interests, not just “selling”), the launch of our Confluence Community program, as well as high-quality digital media content.
2. Positively develop fitness & wellness support channels for our community and focus this year on improving medical communication through an organic medical Newsletter, magazine, Corporate Wellness Programs, and Lunch & Learns utilizing our Licensed Physical Therapist. 
3. Improve salaries, wages, and benefits by an average of 5-10% by creating new employee incentive programs and a better bottom line. 

In 2023, Confluence Running diligently pursued its objectives with a focus on the ethics of customer relations, community engagement, and employee satisfaction. Through strategic initiatives and diligent effort, Confluence not only achieved but exceeded its set goals, showcasing a commitment to excellence in the industry.

The implementation of the Confluence Community program was a significant milestone, aiming to foster a sense of belonging and engagement among customers. By introducing a unique shop magazine and producing compelling digital content, Confluence successfully strengthened its community ties, resulting in a notable 16% increase in non-footwear sales, surpassing the overall company improvement of 11%.  This provided objective evidence that demonstrates a deeper education to our customers to provide peace of mind, comfort, and inspiration through high-quality apparel and accessories.  

Moreover, Confluence demonstrated its commitment to promoting holistic well-being by enhancing fitness and wellness support channels. Through initiatives such as organic newsletters, informative Lunch & Learns, and Corporate Wellness Programs facilitated by Licensed Physical Therapists, the company aimed to empower its community members to prioritize their health and well-being.

In addition to its community-focused efforts, Confluence also prioritized the welfare of its employees. By exceeding its goal of improving wages by 10% and implementing additional benefits such as a matching feature to the 401k program and additional holiday days for full-time employees, Confluence underscored its dedication to fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment.

In summary, Confluence Running's achievements in 2023 reflect its commitment to strategic growth and its core values of community, wellness, and employee satisfaction. Through measured efforts and tangible outcomes, Confluence has established itself as a leader in the industry, respectfully deserving acknowledgment for its achievements.