At this time of year, we all have a lot of pressures. We have our families, the holidays, parties, shopping, and our travel plans. Then there’s how we make our living. We are small business owners, we do not get lots of time off. It is important for us to stay organized to manage all that we juggle.
In order to get things started off right in the New Year; it’s time to make sure you’ve got everything squared away. I hate to do it, but I need to add a few more things to the to do list. Here are 10 Important Tasks To Do Before 2011:
1. Update Your Business Plan: It much easier to go some place when you know where you are going. Take the time to finish, update or write a business plan so that you can start out the new-year not wondering what’s going to happen – you’ll be able to make it happen!
2. Create 2011 Folders: Do this for all your key files in your computer that you use on a regular basis ex: contracts 2011, schedules 2011, meeting notes 2011, etc.
3. Unsubscribe Yourself: If you haven’t opened an e-newsletter in the last 60 days, you no longer need to get the information in your inbox. Free yourself.
4. Export Your 2010 Contacts: Make sure you have three ways to contact everyone. Export your contacts into email, LinkedIn, Facebook and your CRM system.
5. Develop an Editorial Calendar: If you use an e-newsletter or blog, lay out a monthly content plan for yourself for 2011. If you can, write all your e-newsletters now for the year, so you won’t be slammed once the New Year starts rolling.
6. Give Your Blog a Facelift: Think about a new feature you can add to your blog next year. Even adding a new header graphic can make a big difference to your blog. People like to see things evolve and change over time. Here’s a link to a great interview with @cathywebsavvypr on how to reinvent your small business blog. http://bit.ly/haBhYZH
7. Empty Your Email Inbox: Start the year fresh with no old emails. It will be like going away on vacation and coming home to a clean house. Ahhh… priceless. And if you subscribe to anything you haven’t read yet, file it or delete, delete, delete.
8. Collect W-4 Forms and W-9 Forms: Make sure you get up-to-date W-9 forms and/or W-4 on all freelance and full-time employees so that you can mail the W-2 and 1099 forms by Jan 31, 2011 to all workers paid over $600 this calendar year. People need those to get their personal income taxes done.
9. Develop a target customer list: Every year I make a list of the top conferences where I want to speak, and corporate clients I want to have. Monthly, I check my list against my sales activities. Challenge yourself by putting some big fish on the list. It’s a great way to keep your sales processes going.
10. Get yourself a new personal theme song: It’s important to have way to keep motivated as an entrepreneur. Music is always a good option. Pick a theme song that makes you feel good whenever you hear it. Make the song’s video one of your favorites on YouTube. Make sure you have a copy on your MP3 Player, and have a version for the car too. Just have it handy so you can rock your theme music whenever you need to remind yourself why you started your business.
Do you have any other tips to add to the 2011 small business to do list?
For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.
Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. She has been featured on NBC Nightly News, in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal and Black Enterprise Magazine. Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)
I must remember to unsubscribe for some of my e-newsletters.
Great tips!
Blessing
info@workingmomjournal.com
Thanks for your comment. I believe people should stop getting stuff they do not need in their email inbox.
Be looking toward heaven in 2011.
Melinda
If you have tax obligations, bookmark the 2011 IRS Tax Calendar @ http://www.tax.gov/calendar/introduction.htm. The print version is still 2010, but that should be updated relatively soon.
Marci–
Thanks for the link. I think it is helpful for people to understand what they are facing in terms of their tax liability. File your taxes on time, and make sure if your accountant files an extension for your business taxes be sure that he/she file one for your personal taxes too.
Best-
Melinda
Hi Melinda!
What a great Top 10 list! Numbers 3 & 6 are my favorite, the newsletters can get quite overwhelming.
Thanks!
Danielle
Danielle—
Thanks you for your comment. While you have downtime writing the newsletters right away, can really help you get organized to help your core audience in a meaningful way.
Best to you in 2011.
Melinda
I would add two items. If you have done so already, consider incorporating. I am forming an LLC for my blog in 2011. Also, obtain business liability insurance or if you have it, review your policy for updates and changes.
Love the list! Happy 2011!
Ann–
Thank for your comment. I am glad that you added the piece about purchasing or looking at your business insurance, that’s a great suggestion.
Be looking toward heaven in 2011.
Best :o)
Melinda
Great list, I will be hitting my delete button on many things not just the email inbox. I will have to bookmark this!
Angela—
Thank you for your comment. I think we should all evaluate not only our email accounts, but also our support teams. If anything is not working its time to cut, delete and reboot the situation.
Here’s to a great 2011.
Melinda
Thank you Chris for sharing. Feel kind of reeilved I am not the only one making all these mistakes. It just sounds likr you are telling my story At the end you say You will get there, probably faster than I did. That is almost impossible, you are going like a rocket.For product creation to give more reward than consulting you do need some real following.
Great reminders! Especially #10. I will do that for sure.
I’d like to add this tip. Pretend you are a prospect of your own business. Listen to your voice message(s), re-subscribe to your free report, look at your autoresponders, take a hard look at your website. Freshen up, correct, re-do anything that needs a little updating!
Amy—
That is a brilliant suggestion. We should all make sure its easy to do business with us, and that we are really serving our clients. Great suggestion.
Have a wonderful holiday.
Melinda
Thanks for the tips Melinda! I couldn’t agree more about unsubscribing from lists. I know authors put a lot of work into them but if it’s not speaking to you directly unsubscribe & delete. I personally just deleted 667 unread emails – things I said I would read later – free yourself!
Kelly—
Email is one of my big issues as well. I get so many emails from people and I want to get free myself– so on that one I was talking to myself as much as I was advising my readers. My dear friend Marsha Egan wrote a book inbox detox which I need to read again to get help email taming my inbox for sure. Thanks for yoru comment.
Have a great holiday.
Melinda
Great tips! I have done some of them, but will get on those I haven’t done i.e. unsubscribing. I get way too much junk mail that I never read.
I recommend actually taking a few days off during the holidays. I have a habit of working through the holidays. I get so much done because phone calls and emails drop to a trickle since everyone else is actually taking some time off.
Everyone needs a vacation so I am giving myself permission to take some time off the week bw Christmas and New Years. I will probably still blog on my LifeBlog because that is a release for me.
Kathrin—-
I think we all deserve time off for sure. As for me I’m trying to do as much as I can til Christmas eve because I will disappear after that. If blogging helps you relax then keep doing it, but take the time to recharge. Thank you for your comment.
Have a restful holiday and a great 2011.
Best–Melinda
Great Tips! I was just thinking about 9. Develop a target customer list! … planning out events each month~ Something I really need to get to! Here’s to a prosperous 2011!
*Excellence,
Lisa Hromada
Personal Branding Strategist & Graphic Designer
Fr.e.e Gift Video Series Thru Dec.
Business Breakthrough “Pay-it-Forward”
http://tinyurl.com/seedspossibility
Lisa—
I’m big on giving people action plans so this is my big list for 2011. Push this last week and get these things done.
To your business success,
Melinda
Thanks for the tips.
I know tax time is a few months away, but I like to take an afternoon while business is slow and sort through and organize all my business receipts for the year. Makes things easier when giving them to the accountant come April.
On to unsubscribing from all the junk mail I get!
Rachel–
The accounting paperwork is a big one for many entrepreneurs. Its important to not be a hot mess when its time to do your business taxes. I perfer that people do their accountant paperwork monthly so they can use that information to tweek their business plan and/or run their business better–but its never too late to get organized. Thanks for your comment.
Here’s to a prosperous 2011!
Melinda
Hi Melinda!
Great article – many things I need to do are on this list, and as you said, it’s a perfect time to plan for it.
I’d add a couple of things to your list:
1. Review your current headshots and business-use photos – it may be time for an upgrade, additional shots, etc. If your photos were not taken professionally, it’s a really good time to do this – don’t underestimate the power of a good headshot!
2. Review your business wardrobe – are there items you haven’t worn, don’t like or don’t feel powerful and polished when you wear them? It’s a great time to catch after-Christmas sales, add some foundation pieces, or schedule a consult with an Image Consultant to help you create a plan for updating your business wardrobe. You certainly don’t need to slavishly follow every trend in the fashion world, but updating certain parts of your wardrobe or accessory options can make a HUGE difference.
3. Final one – review your plans for physical fitness and nutrition. It’s really hard to function at peak performance and efficiency if you are tired, run down, not eating well and not working out. Carrying excess pounds is one of the hardest things we ask our bodies to do…don’t wait until 2011 to make daily activity a new habit!
Dianne—
Thank you for your comment. Those are all good ones too. I use a stylist to help me so I can attest to how helpful it can be to have another opinion in the dressing room.
Have a great holiday.
Melinda
Great tips! I love the tip on the theme song. I use a theme song regularly as the seasons in my business change.
In line with cleaning out the inbox, I would add cleaning out or decluttering your daily routine. Getting rid of habits that you’ve formed that are not enabling you to grow or advance.
I would also add, getting your 2011 calendar in order. Fill in dates that you know you already have definite plans or commitments. This way you don’t overcommit or get caught off guard.
Thanks for sharing and have a great holiday.
Lisa–
Thanks for your comment. I really like your suggestion on getting rid of habits that you’ve formed that are not enabling you to grow. I would also add getting rid of relationships that are not healthy too.
Here’s to a great 2011.
Best–
Melinda
These tips are very practical and are a great reminder. We all need clarity before tackling a New Year and having things in proper order can’t do no harm. Thanks for the wisdom Melinda! Your tips are very helpful for young entrepreneurs like myself who are starting out 🙂
Grace—
I am so glad that these tips resonate with you. It’s easy to get caught up working IN your business that you don’t work ON your business.
Start the new year with your house in order. You’ll be glad you did.
Best success in 2011—
Melinda
Great tips! So obvious yet so easily overlooked!
I must have a good clear out of all my Newsletter subscriptions and have a good old file in my inbox!
Also, I’ve noticed recently that I’m ‘favouriting’ lots of links to look at later…hmmm time for a clear out there too!!
Thanks for sharing!
Amie—
Thanks for your comment. We all let things we have no time to read stack up in our email inboxes– Its time to purge.
Have a great holiday.
Melinda
Hope you don’t mind me chiming in here but I saw Melinda’s tweet and thought I’d add that if you have a small eCommerce business with shipping or mailing needs you should consider looking into an electronic postage provider such as DYMO Endicia (they are my client). DYMO Endicia is an approved partner of the US Postal Service and offers affordable electronic postage solutions because there are no-monthly-fee options, no postage meter rentals and no long-term contracts. And the icing on the cake? There’s no need to go directly to the post office and deal with the long lines! 🙂 DYMO Endicia is conducting Webinars on how the upcoming USPS postal enhancements for shipping (taking effect in January) can actually help save businesses money. You can go here for more info: http://www.endicia.com/support/webinars/ Hope this helps. Happy holidays!
Hi Naomi—
You make a good point! I would like to work with you. Lets talk next week.
Happy Holidays–
Melinda Emerson
great post… and thanks for teaching this old dog new tricks.
Paige—
Thanks for your comment. I am so glad the checklist was helpful.
Best to you in 2011–
Melinda F. Emerson
Melinda: Expanding my list for the next 4 days! Wow. Mission accomplished to even start them prior to Jan 1! Thanks for the tips! (These will help with both by nonprofit and LLC).
LaToniya—
Thanks for your comment. I am so glad that you got it all done. Nothing like starting the year fresh with no clutter in your small business.
Keep your eye towards heaven in 2011.
Best–
Melinda
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