We know there are a lot of you that read out posts that have just started or are considering launching your own small business. Quite frankly, this particular niche is one area where we see far more small businesses than major companies. This can be a very territorial business, so we want to make sure our readers are prepared for the 2023 year and help them get organized to promote success in the coming year.
Keep It Organized
Clutter promotes more clutter. Remember that first apartment you had that was so small that leaving anything out of place all of a sudden created a very cluttered appearance in the apartment? A small office or workshop will work in much the same way. Get organization bins for your parts, filing cabinets, vertical in-boxes for the desk, and keep your work areas clean. It is very easy to lose track of bills and inventory if you do not know where anything is located.
To Do List
I still use this practice today, after more than a decade owning my own small business. At the end of my workday, I create a to-do list for the following day. As my night progresses, if something comes to mind, I just shout out to Alexa to remind me in the morning to add it to my to-do list. Once my list is updated, I go item by item and check them off until the day is completed. Your goal should not be to carry items over and when you do, put them atop the list so they are checked off first thing the next day.
Emails
I recommend adding a program to your desktop that allows you to see emails as soon as they arrive. You don’t have to open them, but if something important comes in, you can see it and address it immediately. When you do open an email, I highly recommend responding to it right away, even if only to tell them you will get back to them. There are now programs that allow the sender to know when their email was read and trust me, there is nothing more infuriating for a client than knowing their email was read and not responded to.
Accounting Software
Our final tip on this front today is that if you are not going to have an accountant handle your books, buy accounting software and make your entries EVERY DAY. It only takes a few days to fall behind on this task and once you do that, it can get quite messy. Many of these programs are very easy to use and if you have staff, you can even incorporate your payroll right into the programming.
We are going to have more tips on this next week, so make sure to come back!
