Merry Christmas!
As a business owner, it has been a challenging year and you certainly deserve a break.
There is so much to do every week during the year, it can appear to be relentless, and sometimes it is easy to become complacent with the day-to-day functions of the business. However, to ensure continued growth and prosperity, take time to ask yourself these three questions;
1. What should I do more of in my business?
2. What should I do less of?
3. What should I stop?
This is invaluable in helping you understand exactly what is driving your company’s cash flow and what is impeding it. Once you have identified problem areas, you can begin to make adjustments and put greater focus on the areas of your company that are making money. Here are some items every business owner should consider when spring cleaning their business.
Marketing
Review the marketing strategies you implemented this year. Which ones worked and which ones didn’t? For the efforts that weren’t as successful, take time to understand what went wrong and decide if there are ways to do them better or should they be scrapped for the upcoming year. Obviously, make plans to continue your more successful campaigns and consider adding a social media element that you are not doing at the moment. For example, if your business does not have a Twitter account, set one up and take steps to learn how to effectively market your business there.
Organization and Functionality
Certainly, a new year is a great time to organize the office and make sure everything is flowing as it should. However, it is also a time to reflect on any software programs or systems that are not benefiting your business. What programs could help save time on maintenance and management efforts? Do cloud-systems exist that can save you time and money and deliver a great outcome for the business? Now is the time to talk with your staff to find out what tools they need to become more efficient for you.
Attitudes and Outlook
How is the phone answered at your office? When you speak about your business, what is your 20 second sales pitch on how your business helps others? Small sales opportunities appear every single day. This is a time to help you and your staff learn to make the most of them. Ensure that you have the right people, not only on the bus, but also in the right seat. Start the new year with people who believe what you believe.
Financial Health
When reviewing your financials over the past year, you need a qualified partner who can help you easily decipher and understand what the whole picture looks like so that you can make sound decisions for the future. The difference between a good accountant and a true business ally is they don’t only look at the past. Instead, they know how to look forward financially to help your business grow.
If deserve to make a great start to the new year, please give us a call.