For many of us, the winter weather can bring our energy levels down. February is a good time to shake out of it and look toward the coming of Spring. If you’re looking to get your mojo back, we recommend you re-watch the classic 1993 movie, Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray. Phil Connors (Murray) is a weatherman who gets stuck reliving the same day over, and over, and over again. Learn from the hard lessons he had to endure and do not let your business fall into a rut.
Here are some steps Quickbooks recommends you take to keep your business from falling into a Groundhog Day dynamic:
- Get everything in writing. This is especially important when it comes to collecting payments from clients. Invoices are a great way to ensure you get paid for your services.
- Don’t give your time away for less than you are worth. The idea is to work smarter and not harder.
- Don’t work with abusive, time-draining clients. This type of clients can become demotivating and take your time away from other clients that could be more beneficial to you.
- Don’t ignore your client base. You do not constantly have to sell them your services, focus on developing relationships. Your client base is not only the source of your repeat business but also the best source for referrals. Test out new ways to appreciate your customers.
- Don’t forget to pay your quarterly taxes. They add up quickly so make sure to stay on top of your taxes.
- Don’t sweat the small stuff. You will be more productive if you focus on one project at a time than if you let all the small things overwhelm you.
Remember that every day is a new opportunity to do things differently. Creativity can go a long way in business!
Celebrate the chance to change later this week on Thursday, Groundhog Day February 2!
Andrea Saenz G’17
Intern
University of Scranton Small Business Development Center
Francene Pisano Dudziec
Special Projects
University of Scranton Small Business Development Center
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Artwork adapted by Freepick.com
