As a small business owner or solo professional, you’ve got many processes and procedures in place, not to mention lots of outwardly facing marketing things, like your social media profiles and your web site.
Over time, it’s easy to look at them, without really seeing them. That can be a problem, particularly as your business evolves. With that in mind, here are three ways I keep a fresh eye on my work:
- Question past decisions. Decisions we made about how to do something 3 or 5 years ago may no longer apply today. Better software solutions are invented all the time. Maybe your business focus has shifted. Or, maybe, there is an easier, less expensive solution available now.
- Examine the elements of your business that are directly within your view. The other day, a noticed a typo in her email newsletter that had literally been there for years – how could that happen. To avoid this, I suggest you do a thorough scan of the parts of your business you may be taking for granted. If you’re about to give a presentation you’ve given many times already, review it closely one more time or ask someone to read it to you. Test your website, every page, and make sure all the buttons and links your potential clients might be clicking are working as they should.
- Recognize that you are the final authority and decision-maker. I’ve heard many times from solo-professionals: “I don’t know how that works, so and so set it up for me.” That’s fine, I don’t expect you to know how the technology was set up, let alone how to make modifications to it. It is critical to check the work you outsource and make sure you understand what is supposed to happen when something isn’t quite right. Then document it, so you can look back later and check again!
It’s easy to fall into a comfortable groove when running your own business. That can be a good thing; just keep your eyes wide open and make sure your processes are functioning the way you intended them to