The content of this article is provided for informational purposes only. You should always obtain independent business, tax, financial, and legal advice before making any business decision.
Just like you might clean your home for the spring, you should give your business a good spring cleaning, too. After the excitement of the holidays and new year wears off, it's the perfect time to review your strategies and set new goals for the year to come.
At this point, you've probably finished compiling last year's business analytics and you may even have started preparing your taxes. So crack open the windows, dust off that data, and start making actionable plans for the months ahead.
Whether last year was a big moneymaker or a tough slog, it's important to know how to maintain business health by conducting yearly reviews.
That's where these spring cleaning tips come in. With the right approach, you can help ensure that your finances, assets, digital properties, and tools are up-to-date and optimized for business success.
First, it's time to assess your business wellness by evaluating your strategies and processes from the previous year and finding opportunities for growth.
With last year's analytics to guide you, you can use these seven tactics to spring clean your business:
What did last year's business expenses look like? Did you break even, turn a profit, or come in over or under budget? Get a solid grasp on your business' financial standing by reviewing and tracking finances with your team or accountant.
Audit and optimize your website to make sure all content is still relevant, user-friendly, and easy to navigate. Take note of your calls to action (CTAs) and check your links to ensure they're still working. Also, update your website for search engine discoverability with this helpful SEO checklist.
Are you properly staffed, or do you need to hire more help? Do your staffing needs change depending on certain seasons and events? Did you perform evaluations throughout the year to gauge employee satisfaction, productivity, and growth? What did those evaluations reveal about your staffing needs?
If you're looking to expand your talent pool, you can use our tips for how to hire employees and manage your growing staff. You may also consider hiring freelancers for certain tasks like web design, marketing, and accounting.
Review your business marketing strategy. Was your budget sufficient or did you max out your spend on certain campaigns? Which platforms performed best among your target audience? Did you meet your KPIs and stay on track toward your goals? Ask yourself these questions and update your strategy accordingly.
If you don't have a marketing plan, now's the time to create one. Check out these marketing resources for guidance.
Consider investing in or expanding your social media presence to add to your marketing plan. You can start by finding out where your target customers are most active — like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok — and build an account on that channel. You can also launch paid ads to expand your reach and drive sales directly on those social media platforms.
Are you happy with your workspace, be it a remote workplace, in-person office, or brick-and-mortar store? Do you need to spruce up your environment, schedule repairs, reorganize, or redecorate? Sometimes small changes and updates can go a long way in improving your office space.
Also, if you've been working from home, ask yourself if it’s time to rent a coworking space or set up an office. On the other hand, have you been paying for office space even though most of your employees have transitioned to remote work? Optimizing your office setup can help you save resources and improve productivity.
Analyze your current tools to make sure they're up-to-date and working properly. For instance, you may update your POS (point of sale) system to accept the latest payment options and support inventory tracking. You may also want to explore invoicing tools to get paid quickly and easily. Plus, you can use this business technology checklist to prepare your platforms for new customers and engagement opportunities.
Your business can't run without you. That's why it's important to consider your personal health and wellness as well.
Ask yourself: Were you able to take time off last year? Did you feel overwhelmed or understaffed? Are there steps you can take to boost your happiness, avoid burnout, and make more time for yourself? How about your staff? Are they satisfied and productive? Did they take vacation time? Do they feel valued?
Remember: Your personal happiness is key to your business happiness and success. So take time to evaluate your own needs and take care of yourself, too.
Now that you've reviewed last year's strategies and identified opportunities for growth, you can start to build out your next game plan.
First, set some high-level objectives for your business. If you need inspiration, go back to your business plan and identify the reason you started this journey. What did you set out to achieve? What's your overall mission? What are the values that drive you and keep you motivated?
For example, you may want to make more of an impact in your community, share your passion with people across the globe, or create a sustainable stream of income to support your family. Setting your objectives now can help you stay on track throughout the year.
Based on your review and objectives, define tangible goals for the coming months — both personal and professional.
If this feels overwhelming, try setting three big-picture goals and then breaking those down into smaller steps. If your big-picture goal is to increase sales, for example, your smaller steps may be to drive more traffic to your ecommerce website, introduce a new product, and or try a new marketing channel.
Set yourself up for success this year and beyond. From sending invoices and tracking expenses to boosting happiness and hiring your first employees, we've got you covered.
Discover more resources, download helpful checklists, and access industry insights to run and expand your operation on the Business Resource Center. Also, learn how to use PayPal for small business growth.
In partnership with three expert business owners, the PayPal Bootcamp includes practical checklists and a short video loaded with tips to help take your business to the next level.
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