Spring Cleaning Your Business to Get Ahead Before Busy Season
Creatives have a lot to owe to their successes beyond their imagination–a team that really gets you, an eye for design, and passion for giving their clients an experience they won’t soon forget. We work nonstop in an industry where we’re rewarded tenfold with the end result.
So, as we near the busy season that accompanies summertime and outdoor events galore, it’s the perfect time to set aside some time for spring cleaning to make sure that you’re operating smoothly. Truthfully, I would not be where I am today without taking advantage of technology, streamlining tasks, and internal organization.
Let’s take a look at what you can do before the whirlwind of busy season.
What are your pain points?
To get started with your spring overhaul, we’ll need to start with the first step–identifying your pain points. Admittedly, this can be easier said than done. I know that, personally, it’s sometimes difficult to take a look at your business and see that something isn’t quite working.For example, you might notice that emails aren’t being answered promptly or that your contract software is outdated. Maybe your communication methods with clients and/or employees could be more accessible. All of these things are fixable, and most importantly–they’re completely normal.
It’s also important to note that you don’t need to make drastic changes and uproot your entire system. Instead, fine-tuning the smaller details can be the catalyst you need to start recognizing what was previously weighing you down.
How do client-facing and internal organization go hand-in-hand?
Simply put, how you do business with your clients should be on the same playing field as how you manage your employees. If you’re unorganized behind the scenes, that will ultimately reflect in your client interactions. Spotting a professional that’s messy, all-over-the-place, and late to meetings is incredibly easy, and I can promise that the first impression is the one that sticks. This can be settled by establishing expectations for yourself and your team. Make it a point of setting a precedent for keeping all of your appointments in order, a tidy workspace, and implement consistent tasks so that you can create a routine to follow.
Now, let’s make a change
Here’s the part you may be dreading–carving out the time to make the changes. For me, my schedule is so busy on any given day that I completely understand what a hurdle this can be. However, these automations don’t have to be over-the-top.
If you struggle with staying organized with client inspiration and projects, consider utilizing a tool like Evernote, where you can keep everything in one place. Better yet, this allows your clients to be in the loop about your design process, and it’s easy to divide photos and documents into folders.
Make a point of taking control of your Google Calendar and block-schedule client appointments, employee meetings, event setup days, delivery days, etc. This is something basic that can be a huge game-changer in how you approach daily tasks.
Lastly, you need to ensure that you’re setting your team up for success. If you need to, set up aGoogle Drive that’s constantly updated with documents, floor plans, and anything you might need to pull off an event. Anyone can go in at any time of the day and pull the information they need, and it eliminates the last-minute scrambling for that lost sticky note or vendor phone number.
These may seem like no-brainers for keeping yourself (and your team) sane, but you’d be surprised at how quickly something can fall through the cracks. I’m confident that these basic habits and minor tweaks will have even the most tenured business running much more smoothly!
Photos by Kris Kan
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