7 Activities Your Small Business Should Be Doing to Prepare for the End of the Year. Tips to help your small business get organized and prepared for the upcoming new year including reviewing your website, analyzing and assessing your mission, products and services.

1. 7 Activities Your Small Business
Should Be Doing to Prepare for
the End of the Year
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2. 1. Show your appreciation.
Send greeting cards or small gifts like
Starbuck’s gift cards to your current and
past clients, vendors, employees, and
prospects to show your appreciation and
keep your brand at the top of mind.
ModernGreetings.com has a wide
selection of customizable greeting cards
and other items available.
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3. 2. Attend to your financial records.
Gather and sort the records you will need
for income tax preparation if your fiscal
year is also the calendar year.
Use an income tax preparation checklist
for a reminder of the types of
documentation you will need to have
readily available.
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4. 3. Assess your business reputation.
Know what your customers are saying.
Assess your business reputation by
eliciting responses from your customers
using a survey tool like SurveyGizmo.
Monitor feedback and reviews received
on sites like Yelp and Manta.
SurveyGizmo is a survey software tool designed for
businesses and researchers. Build online
surveys, questionnaires, evaluations, quizzes and
more. Get unlimited question types, advanced
logic, unlimited survey responses, robust reporting and
integration with CRMs. 14-day free trial
© 2013 All Rights Reserved - Building Bridges Chicago LLC

5. 4. Analyze your website.
Walkthrough your website’s content to
check for broken links, outdated
promotions, and overall performance.
Look for any instances of poor usability.
Ensuring your website’s content is up to
date and all navigations are functional
will reduce the risk of high bounce rates.
Get a FREE website analysis
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6. 5. Evaluate products and services.
Evaluate your products and services to
determine if they still meet the needs of
your target market. If you have done a
good job of surveying your
customers, then you will have identified
any issues with your product and service
offerings.
If you’re unsure where to start, now is a
good time to take advantage of a
Designing the Dream VIP Day.
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7. 6. Review your mission and vision.
Take a look at your company mission and
vision statements. Perform an
organizational SWOT analysis to identify
growth opportunities and areas for
improvement. Pay attention to
opportunities to build strategic
partnerships to further your cause.
MeetUp groups like Networking in High
Heels can help you make great contacts
to expand your circle of influence.
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8. 7. Set new goals.
New Year’s resolutions are so cliché but
are a really good habit for small business
owners. The end of the year is a perfect
time to reassess and set new strategic
goals for the upcoming year.
Try this interactive goal-setting tool.
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9. Request a FREE consultation.
Want to get your business in gear for the
New Year?
Building Bridges Chicago is a small
business consulting and executive
coaching firm specializing in transforming
dreamers into successful entrepreneurs.
Services include business
planning, marketing strategies, issue
resolution, alternative financing, business
legal help, and much more!
Schedule your FREE consultation today!