The big department stores are already putting up their Christmas decorations – a clear sign that the year is winding up.

It’s time to celebrate business success, carry out business checks, review any issues, and prepare for the coming year. By starting that maintenance work now, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy yourself over the holiday season.

Take a look at Design Garage’s checklist of six end of year business checks that you should be doing now. These will help small to medium businesses finish up the year with a bang!

1. Reviewing

2017 has been a tough year for many so it’s certainly time to celebrate any successes you have had!

Reviewing business and staff performance also means taking into account any setbacks or issues that may have arisen. Jotting these down is the first step. Knowing what needs to be fixed will help solidify your approach to correcting them.

We’re also just over halfway through the financial year. Reviewing accounting records, statements and cash flow will make things easier come tax time.

2. Completing

If there are any outstanding projects going on, now’s the time for one last push to get them ticked off before the year’s end. If you want to implement new business strategies next year, make sure all the background work and preparation is complete, so that you can hit the ground running in January!

3. Planning

Coming up with new ideas and possible strategies for the future of the business is likely to take a good chunk of time. Brainstorm ideas with your staff. When you have a list of things you’d like to achieve, you can work out ways in which to achieve them. Add in a concrete timeline with tasks to be completed daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly, and voila! You’ve set your goals for the coming year. And remember, coming up with new ideas is good, but you can also get results by tweaking ideas you already have in place.

4. Spring-Cleaning

Tidying up your business isn’t just a matter of recycling old boxes and getting the carpets shampooed. Think about cleaning up your marketing. Your website will need updating if you’ve had changes in staff or services. Glance over your social media platforms, print publications and advertising directories. Ask yourself – are these platforms still relevant? Should you be trying something new? Are you spreading yourself too thin across too many areas? Design Garage has lots of tips and tricks to help you make the most of your marketing.

5. Connecting

Your clients and staff have been loyal and helpful! Don’t forget about them or take their business or service for granted. Update your client database and email-marketing lists and get in touch. Organise Christmas cards and gifts, and of course, your end of year functions. Advise your clients of any changes to business hours over the holidays. Make sure they know how to get hold of you in a crisis.

6. Organising

You might be on holiday but your business isn’t and marketing never takes a break! Keep on top of your regular social media updates by auto-scheduling your posts, blogs and tweets. If you don’t have time or aren’t sure how to get the best results, outsource your marketing and promo work instead. Design Garage can help you manage your marketing over the holiday period so that you don’t lose touch with your customers.

 

It may seem like a lot of work, but the more you plan and prepare now, the easier next year will be. You can also look forward to a relaxing stress-free holiday!

For more information, or for help with your end of year wrap up, contact Design Garage now.