Don’t worry you won’t need the yellow rubber gloves. I’m not offering you tips on how to clean the dust off the ceiling fan, or how to keep smudges off your stainless steal appliances. What I’m offering are some tips to help keep your business running smoothly. The small things that you know exist but are not everyday tasks you would normally take care of. You might not have kept those New Year’s resolutions you made for work, but it’s never too late to change some bad habits and set some monthly goals. Here are four tips to help keep your business working seamlessly.
1. Make sure you have up to date contact information.
This is for you and your clients. Follow up with them and make sure the person you have worked with in the past is still employed with the company. Some companies have changed names and merged with others so make sure you know who to reach out to and make sure they have your correct information.
2. Check to make sure your information is correct and consistent on your online presence.
A lot of websites offer free listings. Do a search of your name to see where you are listed and to make sure the information that they have is correct. One major downfall is having multiple listings each representing a different version of your company name. Be consistent; update the different listings with a correct business name and contact information. This includes Social Media; search Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, which are the main three that would include your information. Just because you haven’t paid for a listing or created a page doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.
Technology is constantly changing, including website design and development. If you have a company website, when was the last time your site had an overhaul? Most new websites now have fewer pages, cleaner and simpler designs. If you don’t have a website, consider one. There are so many affordable options for developing your own website and many offer easy to use templates. WordPress is a great place to get started, they offer free website templates and they help you along the way to set everything up.
3. Check to see when your required continuing education is due, and make sure you are current on your license(s).
Each state has different requirements for CE, so make sure you have the appropriate number of hours and you have taken all required. Don’t put your CE off until the last possible moment. It is always good to take courses throughout the year to stay current and to keep material fresh in your mind. Plus it spaces out that big hit of CE costs that can happen when you wait until the last minute.
4. Check up on your billing and your fees.
Follow up with those 90 day invoices and past due accounts. There are ways to automate those invoices so you don’t have to remember to send them out yourself. As I noted earlier, technology is constantly changing, so make sure your billing system is current and works for you. There are many programs out there for small businesses so do a little research and find one that fits your needs. I hear many using QuickBooks and absolutely love it. Also, do a review of your fees and make sure you are competitive in your market area.
Once you have tackled your clutter and cleaned off your desk, take a look at what you want to accomplish for the remainder of the year and set some long-term goals. Giving your small business a good spring-cleaning is a great way to gain some new energy to tackle future success.
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