Successful people do two things very well:
First, they stay organized by using systems every day in their business.
Second, they spend as little time as possible on tasks that do not directly bring in revenue.
Sounds easy enough, right? As a small business owner you wear many hats. It can be hard to find time to get all of your tasks done and stay organized, too. There are three things all small business owners can do to make life a little simpler in 2017.
Clear Out the Clutter
Most of us know how important it is to stay organized, but where should you start?
First, organize your computer files. Set aside a couple of hours each day for the next couple of weeks and group your files into folders. Here are some examples of folder names for you to get started:
Finance and Accounting
> Invoices
> Sales Orders
> Vendor List
Sales and Marketing
> Logos
> Ads
> Website
> Marketing Materials
> Product/Service List
Legal
> Business Filing
> Contracts
Business Clients
> Customer List
> Signed Contracts
Human Resources
> Employee Files
> Payroll
> Tax Filings by Year
Business Planning
Tamara Monosoff, author of Your Million Dollar Dream: Regain Control & Be Your Own Boss, recommends, “Create a file structure on your computer or network that works for you. Every business is different, so your filing system will be different, too.” So, feel free to tweak your file names to fit your business or industry.
Next, tackle your paper files. If you haven’t already, invest in a fireproof drawer to keep copies of all signed legal documents. Your folders can be organized in a similar format as your computer files. That’s up to you. The most important thing is to keep on top of it before your files gets out of hand or worse, lost.
Set up Systems for Success
Systems are important for several reasons. We’ll focus on just two.
First, systems set your business on autopilot, so to speak. For example, a marketing system will put your marketing plan into small actionable tasks that, with consistency, will fill your sales funnel with potential customers each and every month.
Second, a good system will give you results that can be used to track what is working and what is not. Do you need to continue selling a product or service? How will you know if you’re not tracking its profitability? For starters, make sure that you have a system for your bookkeeping/accounting tasks, sales and marketing tracking, and inventory. Put them in place now and let them work for you.
Outsource to Professionals
A part of getting organized for the next year could mean catching up on last year's financials. Are you ready for tax season? It will be here before you know it! Hire a professional bookkeeper to help optimize your QuickBooks online software so you can save time and focus on your business growth next year. A Quickbooks Online bookkeeper can help you understand what worked in 2016 and what didn’t.
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Need to hire a bookkeeper? Schedule a free consultation with a Quickbooks Online bookkeeper. Contact eBookkeeping Solutions today to receive a product recommendation that is specific to your business.