Season Change = Time to Evaluate

When the seasons change it’s a good idea to think about investing the time to evaluate the way your business worked the past few months. Some people do it more often, and some less often. But best results are if you check in on your business every few months. Allowing for a few months gives you a good idea about setting monetary goals, sale goals and client interaction goals.

I’ve created a Business Check Up List, which you can download for free at the end of this post. The checklist goes over the four main parts of your business I suggest you checking in on at the start of each new season.

1. Finances

Its good practice to check in on your finances an awful lot more than just once each season, such as setting weekly and monthly sales goals. However, sometimes items are overlooked and during this check up it is a good idea to set broader “season goals” and take time to look back and compare your financial goals throughout the season. During your “check-up” it’s also good to make sure there aren’t any unpaid invoices, vendor bills, that your ledgers are correctly balanced and that your receipts are filed away accordingly.

2. General

This is an overall checkup on your business. What’s going well and what could use changing. Is there any updating needed? It’s a good time to brainstorm new ideas and reach out to past customers and clients to get some input. You can also use this time to follow up with clients you may have lost contact with. I like to think of this step as a re-discovery portion. I make sure things are working as they should and what I can do to improve myself. When you’re done going through all of the items, look back and ask “HOW AM I?” It’s important that you are okay with the changes you are making and you think that they are in the best interest of your business.

3. Social Media

Some love it, some dread it. But with today’s society it’s a necessary tool. It’s how we reach out to old and future clients and how we keep them posted on our brands. The thing with social media (Facebook and Instagram, mainly) is that features are always changing and it’s important to make sure your audience is engaging. I like to go through everything and make sure the story I’m telling on my wall or feed is cohesive and has an appearance I am proud to show with my brand. Take some time to go through your accounts and make sure you are communicating with people and responding. If you’re not getting enough likes or comments, figure out why and reassess the posts you add to your accounts.

4. Supplies

Supplies aren’t usually something you worry about until you run out. Use this time to make sure business cards are correct and in stock, Marketing Material is up-to-date and that your printer is fully loaded with ink. It’ll save you stress later. I like to keep a small inventory of what I have so I know how much I normally use in a season.

 

Everyone’s business will need different amounts of attention. You may need to check in more often or less frequently. The check list can be altered or used as necessary. You can save one to your computer by right clicking on the image below and selecting “Save As…”