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When you’re running a small business, everything can feel pretty hectic. You are in charge of the day-to-day admin, any staff members you have, and the growth of the business. You’re the chief salesperson, marketer, and administrator. That’s why you need to focus on staying super organized. The more organized you are, the more time you will have each day. Here are some of the best organizational strategies for small businesses.
Manage your office space and storage
If you’re feeling disorganized, the first thing you should do is tidy up your office space and storage. An untidy workplace will make everything else feel disorganized, even if you’re on top of stuff. It will also slow you down. For example, if you need to send out a package to a customer, you need to access everything you need as quickly as possible. If you don’t manage your office space and storage efficiently, you will waste valuable time on small tasks.
Keep track of customer support
Customer support is one of the most important tasks for a small business. Each customer is crucial to the future of your business, so you need to provide excellent customer service. That means a well-organized customer support system that allows you to manage complaints and inquiries quickly.
Plan your social media campaigns in advance
One of the biggest mistakes made by small businesses is managing social media on the fly. You should be planning campaigns months in advance so you have consistent content being released to your audience. You can always drop something in if you have a moment of inspiration. But you shouldn’t be wasting time every day trying to think of something to post.
Manage your expense receipts
It’s absolutely essential to claim expenses as a small business. The more you can claim, the less tax you will have to pay at the end of each business year. That’s why you need an efficient system for managing your receipts. Some business owners use a receipt spike, which is an old-school organizational method. Alternatively, you can download an app that will allow you to take a picture of each receipt for it to be automatically stored.
Organize your passwords
It’s essential to have multiple secure passwords as a small business. This adds a level of security that will help keep your business data secure. However, having too many passwords can cause an element of disorganization. You need to have a method for organizing passwords so you know exactly which one to use at any given time.
Keep your computer’s desktop organized
As a small business owner, you will spend a lot of time staring at a computer screen. However, you can keep that time to a minimum if you keep your desktop organized. Maintain an organized file system with a standardized way of naming files. This will allow you to find exactly what you need in an instant.
Use a tool to manage your content
Most small businesses create some form of content nowadays. Whether it’s blog posts, podcasts, or videos, content allows businesses to speak to their audience and reach potential customers. However, many small businesses fail to manage their content effectively. This includes planning content, uploading content, analyzing reactions, and more. Some businesses use Google Docs to manage content, but Digital Asset Management software is a better solution.
Improve your workspace for increased productivity
Your actual workspace could be slowing down your productivity at work. If your desk is piled high with papers and coffee cups, you’re probably going to waste time every day clearing it. Implement a sensible filing system and put a recycling bin next to your desk. Little details like this will help you keep tidy and stay productive.
You could also streamline your processes to increase productivity. For example, if you’re running a gym, investing in the right fitness club management can help make your day to day operations more efficient as it eliminates queues, lessens paperwork, and organizes your schedule.
Track your time effectively
As a small business owner, your time is valuable. If you’re going to put your heart and soul into a business, you should make sure that none of that time is wasted. That’s why it’s smart to track your own time. You might find it easy to make a daily or weekly schedule. For example, you could spend an hour in the morning replying to emails, then move onto an hour of making calls, then spend some time fulfilling orders. You get the idea.
Keep track of invoices and payments
Cash flow is really important in a small business. You need to keep track of invoices and payments to know when money is coming in and going out. This will also ensure that you don’t let a payment slip through the cracks. Spend some time checking up on the progress of invoices and payments every day, so you can always keep one eye on cash flow.
Plan ahead for quarterly taxes
Tax can be a killer for small businesses. Just when you have started making money, you have to pay a bunch of it back in taxes. Avoid this surprise by planning ahead for your quarterly tax bill. Make sure the money is set aside, and you know exactly what it is for. Also, make it a priority to pay it on time. You don’t want to get a financial penalty for paying it late.
Tame your email inbox
Every busy small business owner will know how crazy an email inbox is. Between the hundreds of daily emails from customers, vendors, and employees, your inbox will likely be full of irritating spam. Take some time to get your inbox organized, separating everything into different folders and unsubscribing from the mail you don’t need.
Reduce your physical paper storage
Paper can get in the way of your day-to-day work activities. That’s why you should reduce it as much as possible. You can store most of your important documents online these days. Spend some time working through the paper you do have in storage and get rid of as much as possible. You can even scan important documents and save them digitally. This might sound like extra work, but you will get the time back next time you want to quickly find an important document.
