5 Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Small Business

Now that we’re a month into Spring, I find myself with the urge to clean, declutter, and improve - my home, my life, and my business. If you're feeling the same pull, here are a few simple strategies I'm employing to give my business a refresh that might be helpful for you too.

1. Marie Kondo Your Business

Looking to organize your professional life and “spark joy in your career”? Check out Marie Kondo’s book “Joy at Work”. In the book she, and co-author Scott Sonenshein, discuss how to tidy your workspace, digital work, time, decisions, network, meetings, and teams.

One of my favorite tips is on cleaning up personal conflicts. “Steer clear of getting drawn into other people’s drama. Avoid gossiping or speaking negatively about others. And don’t be tricked into thinking that complaining about someone with other teammates creates a real and lasting bond. Any intimacy that does arise is false, short-term, and damaging to your integrity.”

2. Audit Your Business Expenses

Invest a few moments to scrutinize your subscriptions and expenditures. Look at things like software subscriptions, apps, and memberships that are underutilized. You may be pleasantly surprised by where you can trim unnecessary costs.

3. Spruce Up Your Website

This sounds daunting but it doesn’t have to be! A few questions to ask yourself:

• Does your website pass the “grunt test”?

  • According to Building A Story Brand, within the first five seconds of visiting your home page, a first-time visitor should be able to answer these three questions:

    1. What do you offer?
    2. How will it make my life better?
    3. What do I need to do to buy it?

    Could a caveman look at your website and grunt what you offer?

• Are there new images you can incorporate to give your homepage a fresh look?

• Is it time to update your headshot?

• Can you showcase recent project photos or client testimonials?

• Are your business hours and contact details up to date?

• Is your brand messaging cohesive and consistent?

• Are your product or service offerings current?

• When was the last time you published a blog post?

• Have you checked for broken links recently?

If you need a photographer, copywriter, or web designer you can find a list of local professionals in my Coastal Virginia Business Directory.

4. Refresh Your Social Media Profiles

Take a moment to refresh your profile pictures and banner images across your social media platforms. Make sure your contact information, operating hours, and other details are current. Review and update your "about" sections, and be sure to engage with and respond to all reviews.

5. Take Out Your (Head) Trash

What’s your “head trash”? It’s the fears, beliefs, and baggage that keep you from living your best life.

Your “head trash” might make you cancel with that prospective client because you’ve already imagined all the ways they might reject you or not like you.

It might make you sell yourself short by not charging enough for your services or products because you don’t think you’re worth it.

It may keep you from launching that new idea because you think people will think it’s stupid.

Your “head trash” can tell you you’re not smart enough, talented enough, or likable enough.

My advice to you:

• Find that person who is in your corner. Who will listen to you, help you sort through what’s real or not, and help you stop thinking those thoughts. It could be a mentor, friend, family member, counselor, or even that person you met at book club who just “gets you”. Next time your mind starts to go down that path, reach out to that person!

• If no one is available at that moment, slow it down and take a minute to write out what you’re thinking. Journaling can help you gain perspective and identify your “head trash”.

I’m talking to myself here too - we ALL need help taking out the trash sometimes.

I hope these few steps help breathe new life into your small business this spring!

Cheers,

EBC