It’s traditional at the end of the calendar year, to take stock and think about how we can do things differently, While this is traditionally applied to our personal lives, you can also make new year’s resolutions for your small business. Here are some ideas on where to start…

  • Identify where you can outsource tasks 

Work out where and how your time is best spent. Maybe you spend hours agonising over a task, that someone else could accomplish in a fraction of the time. 

Whenever you say yes to one thing, you say no to another. Every day we make choices as to how we use our time — because we only have a certain number of minutes in a day. And while there are elements of your business operation that you can and should do yourself to save money, there may be some that you should not. 

It could be that carrying out tasks like accounting, posting on social media, window cleaning and even taking out the bins is taking away from doing the things that you’re really good at, that will grow your business. Maybe doing these activities is causing you to work overly long hours, detracting from your home life. This year have a think about what you do on a day to day basis. And whether you can outsource some of it to someone else. 

  • Support other small businesses

This ties into the above. When you hire another small business to take care of a task for you, you’re supporting another enterprise. The knock-on effect is beneficial to the entire local economy and encourages a community of prosperity. So if you feel bad about spending, remember you’re helping to pay someone else’s wages. It can be a small world too. Often forming relationships with other SME’s helps to build your network, resulting in recommendations and positive reviews. 

  • Take care of your staff

One of the biggest problems this year for many sectors, was staff retention — particularly within hospitality, retail and trades. If you employ others, think about what you can offer, to attract and maintain valuable workers. It doesn’t have to be material. A culture of kindness and a listening ear may be all that’s needed to put your business ahead. 

If you’re an SME looking for assistance with property maintenance related tasks like gutter, stair or window cleaning, give us a call today, to discuss how we at SPM can help.