Spring Cleaning for Small Business Owners: 5 Areas of Your Marketing Program that Need Attention Now

I love Spring cleaning!  Don't think I am crazy, I actually do like cleaning.  I love the feeling of a clean house that is, free of clutter, organized and ready to run without issues.This year, I'm doing some Spring cleaning in my business and I encourage you to do the same. Throughout the year, it is easy to let our marketing materials sit unorganized and become inaccurate as things change with our business. Usually there is not enough time or resources to re-do your marketing materials every time something new happens so vow to do it at least once a year during Spring cleaning. There are a lot of different things you can do but here are 5 basic areas of your marketing program that can benefit from a good cleaning.Your WebsiteMany companies build their website and forget about it.  Your website should really be more of a "working document" that gets updated regularly as things change with your business. Sit down and read through your site as if you were a customer visiting it for the first time.  Ask yourself:

• Is my contact information correct and up to date?
• Are the operating hours still the same?
• Do all my links work?
• Are all of my services properly represented?
• Is my site easy to navigate and find information on?

Social MediaThere are several ways you can clean up your social media accounts.  For starters, look at all the social media accounts you have.  Are you using all of them?  If not, don't be afraid to walk away from a platform that you are not active on.  It is better to not be on at all then to have an account that hasn't been updated in months or years, in my opinion.  Others in the industry may disagree but  again that's my opinion.Then look the accounts you use.  Again make sure your information is correct, links are working and everything is accurate.  Update your pictures and add some new information about your business.Print MaterialsIf you've been using the same brochure or other collateral for years, Spring is a great time to update it. Give your materials a new look and update all the information.  If you are using your brochure as a sales tool, you want to put your best foot forward as it may be someone's first impression of your company.Client ListsOh client lists...we all them but what are you doing with them?  If you have a client list that has been sitting idle for the entire Winter it is time to reach out and talk to them.  You don't have to call each of them individually, although it's not a bad idea if you have the time, but instead think of other ways you can check in.  Maybe it's an email blast or direct mail campaign.  Whatever you chose try to contact old customers and re-establish a relationship.  In doing that you may find that the contact information you have is no longer accurate and that will help you clean up your client lists.Online ListingsThere's Google, there's Yelp, there's Yahoo and everything in between when it comes to a business's online listing.  As a part of your Spring cleaning, go online and find your business on these sites.  Check to make sure that your information is still accurate.  Upload new pictures if the site allows it and check your reviews!  If you've received a lot of positive reviews use them in your advantage and tell people about them via social media and emails.  If you received some bad reviews, well then there's another area you may need to do some Spring cleaning in!