Spring Cleanup

What is it that they always say about the spring? Oh yeah, a time of renewal, re-birth, fresh air, and new beginnings. Birds sing, sun shines, rain falls, flowers grow, and people clean house. Ughhh!

Spring cleaning is an old tradition, especially in a country that embraces the changing seasons as we do. And it's a tradition that impacts more than just packing away the dark, heavy, winter wear and bringing out the colourful, light, spring garb. It means more than washing windows, putting on a fresh coat of paint, digging up the garden, or updating the window coverings. It means re-discovering who we are, what we want, and how to get the most out of our lives and our surroundings.

 

Dusting off the cobwebs is something that applies to our businesses in spring too. What better time to throw open the windows and shed some light on the situation? Your business needs at least the same attention as your wardrobe and your backyard, doesn't it?

Your business should be viewed anew, with an eye towards cleaning up the physical work environment, and the strategic environment that guides your business decisions. So while you may start with a mop, a paintbrush and a trip to Staples and Rona to fine tune your business operations, you should soon find yourself assessing and cleaning up other management and marketing aspects of your business too.

It starts with a review. What has changed in the marketplace that may be having an impact on your business? Is your target market still the same? What has changed in their world, to their lifestyles, values, etc that may have an influence on their needs? Has the competition changed? Who has left? Who are the new players? What does that mean to your position in the marketplace? Is your brand still strong? Does it still speak to your target market? Is the rest of your marketing plan still current or in need of some updates?

Time has a way of impacting everything in our lives, so a season change is as good a reason as any to dust off the cobwebs, throw away those things that are no longer fashionable or meaningful, and look for ways to incorporate new trends. Have you updated your website, embraced social media, invested in online advertising or social campaigns yet? Well, it's that time of year, again .... so let's explore the possibilities. Let's clean house!

Terri Plaxton Smith,
Manager and Business Consultant
Greater Barrie Business Enterprise Centre