Spring is here! It’s time to refresh and revamp your small business from the inside out. Avoid the stress of playing catch-up later by following these five steps and revisiting them throughout the year.
1. Declutter your books
Hopefully, you were able to get in with your accountant before tax season to go over the previous year of business. Moving forward, meet with your accountant quarterly. Take this time with your accountant to reevaluate your quarterly estimated tax payments to ensure you are not over or underpaying (underpaying can lead to significant fines). Now is also the time to review your sales projections and budget, digitize what you can, update your software, and separate personal from business expenses.
2. Dust off your business plan
When was the last time you revisited your business plan? Have you updated your business plan to fit your evolving business? Ensuring your business plan is up to date is essential for healthy growth and cohesive expansion. This strategic tool allows you to plan out steps for both long and short-term goals. While many business owners may neglect the importance of a business plan, countless experts agree that it is an essential tool for executing and implementing business strategy. Check out ASBTDC’s template for creating a business plan:
3. Tidy up your website
In the mind of today’s consumers, your website and social media are one and the same. Update photos, check for misspellings, think about SEO and keywords, consider how user-friendly your platform is, and freshen up your brand.
4. Freshen up your marketing strategies
Your brand is more than just a logo. While pretty fonts and a nice color palette may draw initial attention, those things only scratch the surface of your brand. Revisit your marketing strategies to ensure you are connecting with your target market in a way that represents your brand. Make sure your goals are well defined and that you are reaching your client base. Consider things like:
What social media platforms are they on?
What time of day do they scroll through social media?
Where in my community can I interact with my client base face-to-face?
Are my mission and vision being accurately portrayed throughout my social media?
Am I following, liking, and commenting to engage with my client base?
When was the last time I shared the who, what, and why behind my business?
5. Declutter your space
Lastly, literally do some spring cleaning. Freshen up your space by giving it a good deep cleaning. Whether it’s cleaning the baseboards at your storefront or decluttering your office, keeping up with these chores will not only make your space look better but make you feel better.