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1 Update your technology
Enlist an IT consultant to review your hardware, including mobile devices, desktops, laptops and peripherals, as well as your software. Does everything work smoothly together? Can you save money by switching to cloud-based solutions, trading in old devices for new ones, or leasing instead of buying?
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2 Review your financials
You recently filed your taxes, so it’s the perfect time to talk to your accountant about how you can save more next year. Will you need financing this year to pay for equipment or expansion? Start investigating possible sources of capital.
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3 Refresh your network
Go through your contact lists (digital and real-world) to spot new connections you could make. Are there people you haven’t reached out to in a while that you could do business with? Make a plan to meet up for coffee and talk.
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4 Streamline social media management
Are you going nuts trying to keep up with five different social media accounts? Simplify your life with a tool such as Hootsuite or Sprout Social that lets you manage all your social media accounts from one dashboard.
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5 Clean out your office
You’ll feel refreshed when you’ve thrown out old papers, purged your file cabinets and can actually see the top of your desk again. Put your paper documents online by scanning and storing them in the cloud. Once everything’s organised, splurge on a new filing system or office décor that motivates you to keep it that way.
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6 Revisit your insurance
You may need more (or less) insurance coverage as your business grows and changes. Talk to your insurance agent to make sure your business insurance and life insurance are adequate for your needs.
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7 Build a great website
Whether you want to do it yourself or have a website design company handle the heavy lifting, every small business needs a website. If you don’t have one, you’re losing out on potential business. If you do have one, give it a once-over to see if it’s still effective. Does your site look dated? Is it confusing to navigate? Is it mobile-friendly? Does it still reflect what your business actually offers? If not, it may be time for a website makeover.
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8 Consider adding eCommerce
Can you sell products or services online? Adding e-commerce can be a great way to diversify your business, enabling you to target customers anywhere in the world.
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9 Learn something new
Whether it’s how to code or how to give a speech, set a goal to learn something new that will help your business grow. Better yet, encourage your employees to improve their skills by taking online or offline courses or attending industry seminars and workshops.
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10 Power up your online marketing
Digital marketing is the most effective way to reach customers these days. Review your website to make sure it’s optimized for search. You also need to get listed on local search directories if you hope to attract local customers. If you’re already listed, check to see that all your listings are updated and accurate. Using a web SEO service can help with this time-consuming task. Have you tried pay-per-click advertising yet? It’s an affordable way to generate leads for your business. Advertising on Facebook is another option that’s great for narrowly targeting specific customer groups.