10 Tips for Cleaning Up Your Small Business

The summer months are a great time to clean out the old and bring in the new, and that can apply not just to your home but your business. As you enjoy warm weather and sunny skies, take advantage of that feeling of renewal for your small business and gain a fresh start.

 

1. Your Business Website

Take the time to update your website’s look and content. Even a few, simple changes will give your site a fresh look that will appeal to your clients. A careful review of your website may include outdated information, dates that require updating or typos that require attention. When planning larger upgrades to your website, be sure to address mobile optimization if you haven’t already done so. Since most people access the Internet using a tablet or smartphone, mobile optimization ensures that they can access your website in a convenient format.

 

2. Update Your Technology

Take a look at the technology in your office. Those low-resolution monitors and old desktops with tricky keyboards can be moved out of the office and donated to be repurposed for nonprofit organizations or schools. Updating other types of technology such as printers, copiers, and mobile phones can be addressed as well, and if the costs don’t fit your budget, a list of replacement priorities can be made to spread the costs out over the next year.

 

3. Inventory and Organization

Taking inventory of your business assets is an appropriate project as you prepare your taxes and start a new fiscal year. Identifying and organizing products and business essentials is a great project for staff participation, and also allowing them to identify things that are no longer necessary or not being used will be an efficient way to clean up your office as well.

 

4. Clean Up Your Email Inbox

It’s easy to let your inbox pile up with thousands of messages that clog up storage and impact your productivity. If you don’t consistently delete junk mail, your inbox can become a huge mess that is difficult to search for the items you really need. Taking the time to delete old email and adding filters to sort your email into appropriate folders will let you get a new start on managing your email. These folders and categorized emails will make clean up an easy task for next time.

 

5. Consider Security Measures

Security for your business and your computer systems should be addressed, as well. At a minimum, check your security system, lights and smoke detectors to ensure they are working properly, and update your virus software on your computer network. A more comprehensive step is to have computer and security professionals evaluate both systems to ensure that they are working properly, and take the opportunity to pursue repairs or upgrades if needed. The battle against hackers and brick-and-mortar thieves never ends, but you can minimize your risk with updated systems.

 

6. Acknowledge and Incentivize Your Employees

Acknowledge your staff and give them important feedback about their work performance with a formal review. As an opportunity to check in with them about their work experiences, you can also refine tasks, reassign projects or provide incentives to help your staff feel motivated and encouraged. Acknowledging your employees’ hard work and dedication to your business will let them know they are valued and an important part of the team.

 

7. Start New Social Media Campaigns

If you’ve dipped your foot into some aspects of social media but haven’t taken the full plunge, now is a good time to assign social media tasks to your employees and put an effective marketing plan into play. It’s a great opportunity to show off your newly refined website and connect with your clients about new services or products. The ability to continually remind your clients of your presence is a powerful one, as it means they will be more likely to contact you when they are in need of your product or service.

 

8. Finish Your Long-Term To-Do List

You may have a long-term to-do list of items that are simply never completed. If you are a procrastinator, you may have let the list go for many weeks or months. Assign yourself a day to complete all of the items on the list, and remove this list from your desk. These types of lists should be removed from your desk so they don’t continue to steal your attention and hinder your productivity.

 

9. Clean the Office

Summer is a great time to clean out dark corners, pick up those paper clips that fell behind your desk, clean windows, dust blinds and scrub surfaces throughout your office. If you’re unhappy with the current configuration of your office, take the time to move the furniture in a manner that will better address your needs.

 

10. Add Plants and New Decor

Once you’ve cleaned, reorganized and reassessed your small business, celebrate your completed cleaning by adding plants, new furniture or other types of stylish decor to your office. A few simple pieces of art in your lobby, potted plants or colorful pillows can bring a look of cheer and bring the fresh look of spring indoors. A friendly, renewed appearance will be noticed by your clients and appreciated by your staff as well.

Take the time to address unresolved issues this summer, organizational needs and general cleanup for your small business. When you take the time to address these needs in a comprehensive way, you can look forward to a fresh start.

 

About the guest author:

Jessica Kane is a professional blogger who focuses on personal finance and other money matters. She currently writes for Checkworks.com, where you can get personal checks with free shipping.