There is no better time than spring to reflect on how the year is going and make adjustments to continue the year even stronger than you started. Take a few minutes out of your day and focus on these important areas this spring:
Check in with your customers
- Now is the perfect time to take a step back and take a fresh look at the customer initiatives you started earlier in the year. Review the analytics, stop what’s not working and try something new. But don’t stop there – these insights will help you recognize your target customer profile for future prospect campaigns. Reach out to customers with new communications or an offer to let them know they’re appreciated.
- Send out a short survey to understand how your customers perceive your business. Ask about customer service, quality of offerings and things they’d like to see more of. There is no better way improve your business than by listening and responding to customer feedback.
- Meet with your customers face-to-face if possible. Ask about how they view your business and your products or services, every connection counts. Nothing beats in-person interactions, and this extra step will make a lasting impression with your customers.
Look for ways to save
- Take a look at your expenses, and see if there are any obvious areas you can reduce or eliminate. From Internet, phone, web hosting, and merchant services to office supplies, travel, and other expenses, many businesses overspend each month without knowing there are more competitive solutions.
Sit down with your employees
- While it’s always a good idea to get regular feedback from your employees, make it a point to have an in-person meeting with each of them. If you don’t schedule regular employee performance reviews, now is a good time to start. Set up a comfortable forum to give constructive feedback, and allow employees to give suggestions on how you can improve your business.
- Too often businesses get stuck on surviving day-to-day operations without taking a step back to ensure strategies and goals are aligned with the overall strength of the business. Encourage each employee to highlight the good and the bad of daily business operations. This effort may even lead to new offerings or repositioning your branding to better reflect your business.
Perform an online tune-up
- Is everything on your website and social media channels running smoothly? What about your newsletters and email blasts? Take the time to make sure everything is up to date, accurate and easily accessible for current and prospective customers.
- Is there something you’d like to have on your website or social presence but don’t have the knowledge or bandwidth to update? Consider hiring an outside agency or freelancer to help boost your online persona or create visually appealing graphics to make your website stand out.
Do you have any other business related tasks you generally tackle in the spring? Let us know in the comments below!
About the author
Jim Gustke – VP of Marketing, Ooma
Jim Gustke has over 20 years of experience in marketing and general management for online, consumer and SMB focused technology companies.
Sage One Small Business Blog 