Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/942738
www.ascpskincare.com 47 expertadvice BUSINESS BASICS Spring Cleaning Refresh and declutter all aspects of your business by Kristin Coverly When the urge for spring cleaning strikes, don't forget your business! This is the perfect time to give all areas of your business a once-over, shake out the cobwebs of what's not working, and polish the practices that will help your business grow. YOUR MARKETING When was the last time you paused to evaluate your marketing plans? I'm using the plural "plans" here, because ideally you would have a marketing plan to attract new clients and a separate plan to increase retention of your current clients. So, if you don't currently have two plans up and running, start there. If you do, examine what's working and what's not. Let go of the marketing strategies you know aren't resulting in new clients. Explore new options to connect with your target markets and get the word out about your business. Then, take a good look at the marketing pieces you're keeping; do they need to be updated? Take your website—I'm pretty sure you're going to plan to keep that up and running. Have you added new content or new services to keep it fresh and current? Is it time to rewrite your bio or service menu descriptions, or add a fresh welcome video to your home page? Yes! Find ways to keep your website up to date so it continues to work as a strong marketing tool for your business. Now, do this same process with your social media accounts and all the other marketing and client-retention strategies you're keeping. YOUR PRACTICES Business practices is a pretty broad term. I'm using it here intentionally as a reminder that there's an incredibly wide array of responsibilities that are involved in running a successful business. It's time to face the aspect of being a business owner that scares you the most (we all have one). Maybe for you it's managing your finances, enforcing your client cancellation policy, or raising your rates. Whatever it is, the problem won't go away or magically fix itself if you ignore it. Get crystal clear about what needs to change and what type of support or help you need to address it, and then make a step-by-step plan—with deadlines—to overcome the challenge. YOUR SPACE Do you have a cabinet or closet where product gets stored (read: forgotten about) until it's long past its expiration date? Has the stack of receipts you're keeping for taxes grown unruly? Are your linens thin enough to read through after a few too many turns in the wash cycle? Look at every aspect of your physical space and make changes to declutter, freshen up, and replace old and outdated supplies. And then pull out the vacuum cleaner and duster and give your space (including your baseboards) a serious deep clean. You—and your clients—will feel the difference!