{"id":3554,"date":"2021-01-01T03:24:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-01T03:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bookipistg.wpengine.com\/university\/?p=3554"},"modified":"2025-05-30T23:47:28","modified_gmt":"2025-05-31T04:47:28","slug":"9-small-things-for-your-business-in-new-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bookipi.com\/ja\/business\/9-small-things-for-your-business-in-new-year\/","title":{"rendered":"9 small things you can do for your business"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The new year is an exciting time for small business owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many business owners use this time to set goals and make plans for the upcoming year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You get a chance to stop and look at your business and think, \u201cWhat can I do better?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you hate making a resolution in the New Year, why not take the opportunity to make your business better?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your goals for the new year don\u2019t have to be big and grand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, the smallest of changes can make the biggest of differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are 9 small changes you can make that will both save you time and help your business grow in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Make your bookkeeping digital if you haven\u2019t already<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need to go out and buy an expensive accounting software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, upgrading from handwritten or Word invoices in the new year will speed up the billing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why spend half an hour creating and sending an invoice when you can do it in less than five?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Know how complicated of a software you need and pick one from there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If all you need to do is send invoices and track expenses, just pick a simple invoice app <\/a>and an expense tracker<\/a> like Bookipi software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need to dive into a complicated accounting software if you don\u2019t need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, just a simple invoice app will speed up how you do business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It will also be easier for you at tax time as you\u2019ll have a digital record of every invoice you sent as well as reports in your app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Get a website<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A website has many benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It makes you discoverable on Google which helps potential customers find your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is particularly good if you provide a specialised service or there are limited businesses in your area offering the same services as you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you don\u2019t care about being found on Google, potential clients might look for your website to see if you\u2019re an established business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can use your website to answer any questions they might have and promote what your business does well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A website also makes you look more professional which helps build trust in potential clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Keep track of where your money is going<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Use an expense tracker to see where you\u2019re spending your money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need to spend hours going through your bank statements or manually inputting every expense but you should have a good understanding of how much you\u2019re spending and on what.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you know this, you\u2019ll be able to cut down on any unnecessary spending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also see what you spend your money on and assess whether this money would be better used for something else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need a complicated program to do this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are also great expense trackers that sync with your bank feed and categorise your expenses for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll spend a couple of minutes and potentially save thousands of dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Use online directories<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With the world becoming more digital, the way people hire businesses is also becoming digital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previously, you would search for a service provider in the phone directory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, people search using online directors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

List your business on any relevant local online directories or directories for tradespeople.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are countless platforms that you can sell your services on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More people will be able to find your business than if you rely purely on word of mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you choose to use online directories, also think about how you can make your listing standout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fill it with as much information as you can and be sure to add good quality images.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Introduce yourself to potential clients<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easy for small business owners to wait for customers to find them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if you really want to be someone\u2019s first choice, people have to know who you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your clients are other businesses, introduce yourself to them and let them know you\u2019re available to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It doesn\u2019t have to be a formal or big introduction but something as simple as an email or a phone call can go a long way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is especially important for local businesses as the best marketing you have is word of mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cold-calling or cold-emailing someone might feel uncomfortable at first but it\u2019s worth it if it wins you work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having a pre-existing relationship with a client also helps when you submit a proposal for a project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Get your customers to review you<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Potential customers might not trust you when you tell them that you\u2019re good at what you do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, they will trust it if it comes from someone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019ve finished a job, get your customers to give you a review, whether it be on an online directory or a consumer review website or even just on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can then show these reviews to potential clients when they ask for a testimonial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you don\u2019t get a positive review, you can use the review to improve your services and demonstrate that your business is constantly getting better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you use online directories, getting good reviews can push your business to the top of the list, giving you better access to good clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Be on social media<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many small businesses swear by social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, social media is a really effective marketing tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it might not necessarily be the best marketing tool if you were for example a plumber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless, if you have a local business or visuals are important to your business, having basic social media accounts is a must.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social media is all about socialising and for local businesses, being part of a community is important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Share updates about the projects your business is working on, any changes to your usual services, customer testimonials and photos of your work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You won\u2019t necessarily need to be on every platform but start with something basic like Facebook or Instagram (if you\u2019re particularly visual).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your photos and posts don\u2019t need to necessarily look beautiful or professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just focus on the information you are sharing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Build a portfolio<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Whether you\u2019re submitting a proposal or receiving enquiries from potential clients, having a portfolio of previous work you\u2019ve done is necessary if you want to win the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your portfolio doesn\u2019t need to be anything fancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be as simple as a few photos of some of the projects you\u2019ve worked on before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You want to grow and collect this as you go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you complete a job, take some photos of the work you\u2019ve done or save a copy for you to use later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organise this into one easy place for you to access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next time someone asks you for your portfolio or if you\u2019ve worked on a job similar to the one they are requesting, you\u2019ll be able to send them examples of what you\u2019ve done before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. See if there are any small business grants you can apply for<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Governments and other non-government organisations quite often offer grants for small business owners or new businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have a look to see if you are eligible for any of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some instances, you might need to speak to a small business advisor or your accountant or bookkeeper to see if there are any programs you may have missed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Running a business can be tough as is so why not make it easier for yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You should be able to find most of the grants either online or by calling up your local government. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Small business tools to save you time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n