How to Give Your Business the Update it Needs (Without Starting from Scratch)
Oftentimes, business owners get stuck in a cycle of if it’s not broken, there’s nothing to fix. While that may be true in regard to the big picture, there will always be hiccups you run into that can be fixed or little adjustments to your working process that your clients will be grateful for.
The real question is this: how do you decide what needs updating, and how can you do so without throwing a wrench in your well-oiled machine?
Is it time for a refresh?
You might already have a list of things that you’ve been meaning to get to, but it’s more likely that you’re questioning if you need a refresh at all.
If you aren’t sure what might need some extra care, your inner circle is a great place to start. “Sit down with your team and past reviews and see where in your process seems to be causing frustration. You may need to take some time to bring on a new system that can make working in your business feel a lot easier and make it easier for clients to work with you,” says Samantha Leenheer of House of Joy.
Easy, manageable updates for your business
Unless you’re really struggling with organization or experiencing consistent pushback from clients, these changes don’t have to be monumental. Subtle updates often make for a bigger impact than we realize, and starting small is better than putting it off until you have a major overhaul on your hands.
Tayler Cusick Hollman of Enji notes: “When you want to make an impactful update to your business without spending tons of time or energy, the best thing you can do is starting to track your numbers! Honestly, without having some real business data to back up the decision you're making about updating your business, you're just guessing what's going to move the needle—and you want to be more confident in your decisions than that.”
Auditing your payment processing can potentially alleviate more stress than you realize, says Nora Sheils of Bridal Bliss and Rock Paper Coin. “Think about how you accept payments. There are likely several new options since you got set up that could save you time, money or even both. This is an easy change that can be worth their weight in gold and take a minimal amount of time to integrate into your company.”
“One of the most essential pieces of your business is your website! While you might not have the budget to get a brand new one, there are a few things you can audit on your own to make sure it is working for you and not against you. Take a look at your mobile view. Is it easy to navigate? Does it load quickly? At least 50% of your audience will view your website on a cell phone, so make sure it is optimized!” suggests Adrienna McDermott of Ava and the Bee.
In continuing to audit your website, Hellen Oliveira of Hellen CO Photos + Films adds: “Another easy update is to remove any previous work that does not represent your ideal client now or projects that you want to work on in the future. You attract what you put out, so making sure you are only showing the best of the best of your work will speak to your ideal client and better leads.”
“Make some time over the week (or weekend) to have solid time to think about where you are in life and business and write things down that bring joy and inspire you. These moments will give fresh life into your business that will help you re-direct your focus to the 'why' you are doing what you are doing and all the services you provide,” says Jen Sulak of Weirdo Weddings.
Smooth implementation so you don’t miss a beat
Once you’ve made your to-do list, implementation can feel like the scariest part of all - especially if there aren’t enough hours in the day as-is. The good news is that these changes don’t need to happen overnight, so keep that in mind as you get started.
“Our biggest goal for implementing these changes is keeping things simple and making sure it's consistent across every platform where your brand is represented,” notes Megan Lentz of Vida Events.
Colton Simmons of Colton Simmons Photography recommends: “Implement the changes that are going to have the greatest impact on your business first. If you know that updating your pricing and e-mail templates will help you increase your ROI, that needs to be where you focus your efforts because it’ll have a direct impact on your profit margins.”
If you’re really pressed for time for updates, Mandy Hess of MJM Designs advises, “I like to start the year, aka ‘off-season,’ with implementing these updates. Doing so takes time and focus. Plus, starting the year off here makes you more confident with your business going into the new year!”
“My top tip is to start small and prioritize. Don't try to tackle everything at once. Pick one update to focus on, set a clear goal, and then go for it,” adds Jaclyn Watson of Jaclyn Watson Events. “And don't forget to get feedback along the way. Your team and your customers can provide valuable insights that'll help you fine-tune your approach and figure out what works and what doesn’t.”
The key to any business update is to not make it harder on yourself (and your team) than it needs to be. Give yourself plenty of grace to learn new tech if needed, and make sure you have something recurring in place so that you can easily make adjustments regularly!
