New Year Checklist for a Good Looking Small Business

10 Quick Fixes to Start Your Year Right

You know the gyms are going to be crowded at this time of year, but what kind of shape is your business in? Follow this quick-fix checklist to make sure your business looks its best before you head out into 2012.

1. Do you still have Santa or holiday graphics on your site? Now’s the time to take them down before you end up looking like that neighbor who leaves Christmas lights up all year.

2. Has anyone asked any of your Frequently Asked Questions in the past year? Are the answers still accurate? You might want to check the freshness of your “About Us” page, too. (Here are some good examples.)

3. Is your domain name expiring this year? Renew it before you risk losing your entire site.

4. Did you add any new social media accounts in the past year? Make sure all of them are listed on your site and in your marketing materials. Reorder the list if you are more active on some than others. And confirm that you are using consistent imagery and descriptions across all of these networks.

5. Got the wrong copyright year at the bottom of your website? That’s oh so 2011. Here’s how to fix that problem so your site automatically updates each year. If your site runs on PHP, use this line of code (without the spaces):

   &Copy; Copyright < ? php echo date ( ' Y ' ) ; ? > Your Business Name or Site 

This will give you: 

  © Copyright 2012 Acme, Inc.

this year and next year the 2012 will automatically switch to 2013.

If you don’t have PHP, you’ll need to resort to JavaScript.

   Copyright &Copy; < s c r i p t type="text/java s c r i p t"> 
    document.write(new Date().getFullYear());
   < / s c r i p t >  Your Business Name or Site Name

And remember, you can copyright your content but copyright law doesn’t protect domain names. http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-protect.html#domain

6. Do your “contact us” forms still work? Fill them out, submit and then check that the confirmation message remains relevant and that the message reaches the proper inbox. And if these submissions go to someone other than you, it’s a good opportunity to see how fast your staff replies.

7. Are you ready for tax time? Because when you’re a small business owner, it’s always tax time. Choose a tax professional or attend free tax-planning webinars.

8. Did any of your business policies change, such as how you handle refunds or returns? Update your site and remind your staff accordingly. Now’s the time to review your coupon codes as well.

9. Have you audited your phoned bills and energy bills lately? You may be paying too much compared to the latest deals available.

10. Can you create a new revenue stream by turning your product into a service? This suggestion is more ambitious, but now could be the time to diversify your income streams.

So, what are you doing for your business to look good in the new year?