5 Inexpensive Ways to Recharge Your Business

It’s the beginning of a new year; time to invigorate your business and get started on the right foot. Don’t worry – you don’t have to make monumental changes or spend a lot of money. But there are 5 little things that you could start doing today that will recharge your business.

1. Clean your office.
Clutter on the desk sometimes creates clutter in the mind. While your office may not require a visit from the health department, if it’s interfering in your productivity it needs to be cleaned up and organized. Sometimes a couple hours are all it takes to sort out your office and give you peace of mind. Perhaps your office is in need of a work-friendly change. Don’t shy away from rearranging furniture or bringing in filing cabinets and shelving to help you better manage client information. Sometimes you need to physically change your surroundings in order to achieve a fresh outlook on your business.

2. Wish your clients a Happy New Year.
Take the time to send a card or email to your clients, wishing them a Happy New Year. Not only is it a great gesture, but it gives you the chance to provide tax preparation tips as well. You will be filing their taxes soon and they need to gather information that will make their return as profitable and complete as possible. Perhaps you need to inform clients of deadlines in order to ensure timely filing and prevent the necessity of extensions.

3. Give small businesses a gift.
Take a walk down the main street of your town or stroll through the local strip mall and give small business a wall calendar or calendar magnet with your contact information. Also include your business card. You don’t have to be pushy; just explain that you prepare individual and business taxes and would be happy to help them with their returns. And because your contact information is attached to something they’ll likely find useful, they’ll always be able to reach you when they need tax help. This is a great way to get new clients.

4. Offer a New Year’s promotion.
Holiday promotions are great, and because people recognize that tax season is just around the corner, they’ll be more likely to respond to a New Year’s promotion. Offer one free hour of tax consultation or provide a discount on filings. Whatever you choose, make it appealing enough for potential clients to respond without threatening your profitability. And remember that sometimes getting new clients will profit you more in the long-run than you’ll loose in a one-time promotional deal.

5. Send out a newsletter.
Newsletters are a great promotional tool. But if you’ve been weary of a year-round newsletter, now’s the time to test-run a newsletter without being obligated to continue it week after week, or month after month. A New Year’s newsletter can be a one-time thing, with free tax advice, information on your promotions, and of course, your contact information. You can send this newsletter to friends, family, neighbors, contacts, local businesses, etc. In turn, it could send lots of people your way come tax time.

Recharging your business doesn’t require a loan, or a major withdrawal from your savings account. With less than $100 and a little motivation you can get your business on the right track this year.