When you’re a small business owner who does everything to keep things going, there’s often no time to sit back and reflect on what’s working and what’s not. Spring is the perfect time to turn over a new business leaf and get your gig primed for success.

When you’ve been running your own business for a while you’re bound to have picked up some not-so-efficient habits. And what better time to re-energise your business thinking than springtime?

As the warmer months arrive, you won’t be alone in reconsidering, realigning and repurposing – and even reinventing – whatever isn’t working for you as an entrepreneur.

Let’s get going by turning “SPRING”, into a handy backronym that stands for:

Here we go…

1. S is for space

The physical area your business occupies is pivotal to your success as a small business. Ask yourself: Have I outgrown the space I’m in in the last 12 months?

If the answer is ‘yes’, it may be time to start looking for a bigger workplace to accommodate your growth. On the other hand, if your answer is ‘no’, it could be the time to consider costs and downsize to a smaller premises.

If you’re just starting out after making the shift from a salaried employee to entrepreneur, now’s the time to set up a space where you’ll be most productive. Whether it’s a spare room in your home that becomes an office, or you take over your garage that serves as a production area and mini warehouse, make sure you have everything you need to be a success – Telkom Business could help set you up with telephone lines and business solutions like a professional email and data suite.

2. P is for prioritising your business technology

Organising your apps across all devices is key and to do so, you need enough data and a stable internet connection to keep everything synced – and, ultimately backed up (fueled by Telkom contract deals, unlimited data deals, and stable network coverage).

Cloud storage is a must, and this should be organised efficiently and set to autosave as you work throughout the day.

Get rid of apps on your smartphone you don’t use. Purge those screenshots of memes and other info you’ve saved ‘just in case’ and either trash or saved photos you just can’t live without. Clear your cache, see how many browser tabs you have open, and “close all’ regularly. Go through your files to see what you can get rid of.

Remember, official documentation like contracts, taxation and accounting information and other operational business records should be saved securely for a minimum of five years in a print and digital format.

3. R is for relooking your systems

The most thriving small businesses have systems in place that work – but there are also a few in operation that don’t. Those are the ones you need to pull the plug on.

What systems are we talking about?

∙ Money management – Accounting and/or payroll systems.

∙ Communications –  How you connect with your staff (if you have any), clients and potential customers, as well as third-party service providers.

∙ Technology – Project management software, business solutions like calendars and emails, cloud storage and other filing systems, and even your website hosting and design partners.

∙ External marketing solutions – Social media, advertising platforms, subscription services (free and paid for), content calendars, or even third-party service providers you’ve hired to do your marketing for you.

Ask yourself: Are my office solutions working for me to the point where I’m 100% satisfied with the return on my investment? If the answer is no, get rid of them and find a partner you can trust. Start your search with Telkom's Smart Office solutions and Telkom Yep!

4. I is for inbox-wrangling

The number of entrepreneurs out there with a red inbox indicator of +99 is staggering. You’re not alone. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re a one-person show.

First step to consider: Is your data plan sufficient for the amount of emails you send and receive? If not, find a partner like Telkom Business to meet your needs.

Next, work through your inbox systematically by using the keyword search function to bulk delete – or save – by senders, date received or specific topics. Review any mails you’ve flagged, create relevant folders and subfolders by month or by client and get rid of everything else.

5. N is for next-levelling your databases

You’ve worked hard to earn every single opt-in to your business’ product or service so it’s time to put in the care those databases need with a little hygiene and a serious nod to the Protection of Personal Information Act (or POPIA for short).

As a small business owner with access to people’s personal information, it’s up to you to find a way to keep that data secure. Here’s what you need to know about POPIA and where you can see if you’re compliant.

When you’re considering the hygiene of those databases, it’s time to do an audit and strip out contact information that’s no longer delivering, bounces, contains typos, is duplicated, has been received as ‘unsubscribes’ etc.

6. G is for goal setting

Your business started with a plan – and, by now, some of those goals should have been achieved and replaced by new ones. It’s time to take a beat and review. Whether it’s projecting revenue, website hits, number of business leads, blog or social media content calendars, or key projects you want to roll out in the next year, now’s the time to think big!

Your business’ plans, projects and tasks don’t ‘do’ themselves so reviewing them regularly is vital. Set up a daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly slot in your calendar to do so.

Review your income and expenses monthly, and take note of your business leads, blog, website and social media analytics as often as you can. Kill what’s not working early and flex your creativity to keep your business on trend and relevant.