Small Business Holiday Checklist

By Adam

December 14, 2011

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By John Lindo

 

For many small business owners, the holiday season means sending out greeting cards, delivering some gift baskets, perhaps a holiday party or dinner for employees, but it also (for most) signals the end of the fiscal year.


 

Before you ring in the New Year, take advantage of some of the downtime during the holidays to complete this year-end checklist.

 

Start gathering all your financial documents. Tax time will come before you know it, so ensure that you’ve collected all your important documents (receipts, charitable donations, expense forms, tax forms). Your accountant will thank you.

 

Be sure to complete all your monthly expenses. This is a dreaded task for most small business owners. Try to stay up-to-date so you’re not left scrambling at the end of the year.

 

Set your goals. First evaluate the objectives you set at the beginning of the year, and then assess how well you measured up. From there, you can set new goals, which will give you something to strive for in the upcoming year. It can be tough to stay motivated when you don’t have a boss to report to (read: breathing down your neck), so try to be self-disciplined and push yourself to meeting or exceeding the goals you set. You may not have a “bonus” riding on it, but it will definitely pay off in the long run.

 

Update your business plan. The end of the year is a good time to reassess your business plan to see what’s working, what isn’t working, and what new opportunities exist for your business. Do your research and plan accordingly.

 

Update your promotional collateral. Did you land some new clients this year? Why not ask to list them on your website, or even better, ask for a testimonial. Maybe you received some great news coverage. Be sure to update your website with all your recent work and accomplishments. Hey, there’s nothing wrong with doing a little PR for yourself.

 

But most importantly, be sure to take the time to look back and celebrate all your great achievements throughout the year. You worked hard, so you deserve a toast.

 

Cheers!

 

John Lindo is the Founder of Razor Voice Inc., a Public Relations agency based in the GTA. During his first 10 years in the PR industry, John oversaw the communications departments at both Bridgestone Canada and Nissan Canada. Visit http://www.razorvoice.com/

By Adam

December 14, 2011

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