You’ve worked hard to build your business—the last thing you want is to let it collect dust and grow stale. Even the most successful businesses can hit a plateau if they're not continually refreshed and revitalized.
In the same way that your house benefits from an annual spring cleaning, your business could probably use a bit of tidying up. From streamlining operations to setting new goals, here are several steps worth taking this spring.
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A checklist for spring cleaning your business
01. Polish your website
Your website is the stage where your brand gets to shine. So, it might be one of the first places you’ll want to deep clean. More specifically, make sure to:
Give it a good scrubbing. Check for broken links or old pages. Make sure your site still reflects your current branding and highlights your top product offerings or services. Look for and update any irrelevant information, especially key facts like your contact information, in-stock products or pricing.
Audit your performance. Using Wix Analytics or any other reporting tools at your disposal, make sure that your site is running smoothly on all fronts. Check that it’s fast-loading on both mobile and desktop. Improve pages that aren’t performing as hot as you’d expect and pay special attention to the areas where visitors are dropping off.
Up your search engine optimization (SEO) game. Analyze the SEO health of all your key pages, and optimize them by following on-page SEO best practices. “Start by Googling your target keyword,” says Chaya Arbiv, SEO specialist at Wix. “Analyze the results to gauge current trends and user interests, then make sure your content reflects that.” Note: you can use Wix’s built-in SEO tools—including an AI meta tag creator—to work more quickly and strategically.
Consider a fresh coat of paint. Spring might be the perfect time to rebrand your small business. Or, you may just want to modernize your website with fresh images and copy. Either way, start by taking a refresher on how to create a website and exploring tools like Wix’s AI feature for text or image creation.
02. Tend to the customer journey
As you put a magnifying glass to your site, take some time to analyze the path to purchase. A well-tended customer journey is crucial for both converting new customers and bringing shoppers back to your site. Ask yourself:
Are your product or service pages detailed enough? Do you give your customers enough information to confidently make a purchase? Your product and/or service pages should be as detailed as possible, plus include helpful information like sizing charts, reviews and care information. If you sell a product with multiple variants, make sure that each option has a corresponding image on the listing so buyers know exactly what to expect.
Is checkout quick and painless? Are you giving them enough payment options? Consider solutions like Wix Payments that allow you to accept payment in the form of credit/debit cards, digital wallets, buy now pay later (BNPL) solutions and more.
Are calls-to-action clear? “Making sure your buttons are working and effective are essential for ensuring that your site is in tip-top shape,” says Amanda Weiner, CRO specialist at Wix. “Be sure that the buttons are bright and noticeable to the eye so that no one has to actively search for them. And perhaps more importantly, be sure the content on your buttons is clear. The visitor should be absolutely sure what pressing the button will do and where it will bring them, otherwise they’ll never click.”
Are people incentivized to transact? Whether you’re looking to sell a product, collect donations or book out an event—give people a reason to take action right now. Experiment with a countdown clock or “low stock” labels. Or, take a page from Black Girls Dance’s book and reward participation; in the example below, the organization asks visitors to donate to their cause to receive a variety of special prizes.
03. Prune your business plan
Your small business is a living, breathing entity. Your business plan should be too. If you’ve been letting it sit, it’s time to dust it off. Here are three questions to ask yourself as you update your plan:
Is it still relevant? Make sure your mission and vision are still aligned with your company’s offerings. Consider whether market conditions or competitive threats have changed, and how you can better address them. Additionally, review details about your target audience and see if it needs to be expanded or altered in any way.
Am I still on track? Your original business plan likely included a set of high-level goals. Comb through them and determine how much progress you’ve made. If you haven’t made progress toward a goal, start brainstorming ways to do so. If you’ve achieved your original goals, start setting new goals that are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound).
What will I do next? Take a fresh look at your market landscape to see if any new trends have emerged. Then, consider how to incorporate them into your plan. Also, start planning your business growth strategy. How do you plan on scaling your business? What resources, including funding, will you need to move forward?
04. Audit your books
You can’t grow profits without knowing where your business stands financially right now. Sound financial management is a vital part of knowing how to run a business successfully. Beyond taking care of your taxes this season, take the time to audit your books.
Examine your expenses. In today’s business climate, efficiency is the best path toward profitable growth for many small businesses. Take a close look at your expenses over the past year and consider ways to reduce costs without sacrificing quality. For example, unsubscribe from any apps you no longer use or invest more in high-performing marketing channels over underperforming ones.
Update your projections. Look over your profit and loss statements from the last quarter or last year. Then, consider your current and future market position based on your updated business plan. This will help you better predict potential revenue targets so you can maximize profitability over the next four quarters.
Consider how automation could help. Many small businesses will implement financial or accounting software to streamline operations as they grow. Two areas to consider: an online program to help you manage financial reporting and software that simplifies tax complexities. The latter is especially important for eCommerce and other retail businesses that sell goods or services across state lines.
Automate sales tax with Wix or explore Wix’s App Market for pre-vetted accounting solutions.
05. Renew your marketing strategy
Marketing is forever changing. New, powerful channels are emerging every day, and some strategies that may have worked well two years ago may now be consuming more of your time than they merit. Carve out time to analyze your marketing channels and freshen them up while keeping the below tips in mind:
Reset your mindset. “From my experience with marketing consulting, one of the biggest pain points I see is that a lot of business owners feel overwhelmed by channels like social media,” says Lindsay Thomson, head of social media at Wix. “As a result, they are reactive instead of proactive with their strategies. And I get it—there are so many things you can do. But don't let the feeling that you have to do it all stop you from doing something.”
Don’t ignore your existing customers. Customer loyalty is often undervalued or overshadowed by the greed for new customers. Show your existing customers some love by finding ways to express your gratitude, reward their loyalty and/or simply listen to their feedback.
Focus on your strengths. “Get clear about what is within your time, energy and skillset,” says Lindsay. “If you love seeing customers share your products on their social media, focus on that. If you hate doing video, you don't have to do it. Part of the point of running your own business is getting to do things differently. Things that feel like a big drain on your time and energy aren't worth it.”
Craft a plan. “If you don't plan it, it doesn't happen,” says Lindsay. “Set some clear and reasonable goals for yourself—it could be an amount of time you'll spend each week, a certain number of posts per month or something else. Add it to your calendar, and follow through.”
06. Sweep through your catalog
Turn a fresh eye to your catalog of products or services. By analyzing what truly adds value to your customers and what might be ready for a change or replacement, you can better set the stage for future growth. More specifically, take steps to:
Clear out old inventory. If you sell products online, use the springtime to right-size your inventory levels. Wix’s built-in inventory and sales reports can help you identify the most and least valuable items in your catalog. Eliminate any excess inventory by running sales or experimenting with cross-selling techniques.
Revisit your pricing. Periodic reviews and adjustments to your pricing can help you stay attractive to customers while safeguarding your margins. Start by analyzing current market trends and comparing your prices with those of your competitors to ensure you're still in the right ballpark. Consider the perceived value of your products or services to customers, and don't be afraid to adjust prices based on their feedback and your costs.
Explore other opportunities. Stay abreast of trending products and customer demand. Think of what additional services or products could complement your existing offerings. Consider low-risk opportunities, such as print on demand or accepting preorders, which provide a flexible way to expand your product line with minimal financial risk.
Learn more about selling custom merch on Wix.
07. Cultivate better habits
One of the best investments you can make as a small business owner is to enhance your own professional development, which can easily fall by the wayside when you’re busy starting your business. Use your spring cleaning time to:
Set boundaries. Limit your to-do list to three to five tasks each day. Resist the temptation to double- or triple-book your time. Learn to delegate. These types of positive habits will make you and your business stronger.
Declutter your digital workspace. Whether this involves cleaning out your email inbox, cleaning up your files or playing around with new productivity apps, find ways to make your online workspace organized.
Take an online course. Focus on a leadership skill you want to improve upon—communication, budgeting, strategic planning—and sign up for a class that will help you develop it. You can even check out free resources, like Wix’s YouTube channel or SEO Hub to build up your professional skills.
Listen to a new podcast. Find other entrepreneurs in your particular field who are sharing their real-world wisdom and start learning. For example, Wix’s SERP’s Up podcast features interviews with some of the sharpest minds in SEO.
Build your professional network. Attend in-person networking events or engage with other professionals on a platform like LinkedIn. Surround yourself with mentors, advisors and peers who can offer guidance, support and accountability.
