12 Most Key Year-End Reminders for Business Owners

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The end of the year is a great time to think about business. For some, it’s a quieter time when clients go on holiday and prospects don’t want to start until the new year. For others, it gets busier! Either way, there are some important to-dos to remember.

1. Put it on the books.

Yes, officially, taxes aren’t due until 2012, but it’s imperative to get your finances in order. Do it!

2. Make a business resolution.

A year from now, what do you want to be doing? What do you want your customers to say about you? Write it down. Make it a mantra for 2012. Post it wherever you need to be reminded. Carry it around in your wallet. Make it your screen saver.

3. Get ready for a new year. Make a plan.

It’s soooooo easy to just go from one year to the next. Stop! Take a day or a half a day or an hour and sketch out some goals for 2012. Then make a plan. Let’s rock the next year. Include the usual suspects like marketing and budget planning, but don’t forget about social media strategy and customer experience objectives.

4. Reassess the year.

Yes it’s important to look forward, but it’s just as important to look back. Take stock of what went well, what didn’t, and why. Make notes. Then look at your plan for next year and see what you need to consider.

5. Wish your clients a happy holidays before the holidays.

Most business owners are busy. Many remember to send holiday cards or gifts around, oh, December 27th. (Psst…this year, Hanukah begins on December 20th.) Respect that your clients might be taking time away before the holidays. Get on it early!

6. Express gratitude to those who worked for you.

Employees, contractors and partners deserve to feel appreciated. Gifts are nice, but what’s more important is what you say in the card. Signing a card with a personal note can go a long way.

7. Clear out the files and set up new ones.

Don’t wait for January to open up your file drawer or organize your computer desktop to reflect the new year.<

8. Consider who your organization can help.

In these times, it’s more important than ever to share good fortune. If there’s an organization you’ve been meaning to help, make it a point to write that check before the end of the year. When in doubt, the Red Cross is a solid organization that puts their dollars to very good use.

9. If you’re hiring, look into hiring a returning veteran.

They’re coming home. Reach out and let them know you welcome applicants with their experience. Need help finding the right ones? Check out Hire Heroes USA, a not-for-profit organization to assist veterans and employers.

10. Celebrate!

Take a minute to celebrate your success this year. Both big and small accomplishments, like surviving a tumultuous year or finally finding the right assistant, should be celebrated. Give yourself a chance to do that.

11. Take time with your loved ones.

Don’t be that guy. You know the one. He brags about taking just one day off for the holidays. Enjoy the warmth of people you love. Remember the spirit of the season. Take some time to relax and enjoy it.

12. Wrap it up.

There is something so remarkable about turning the page on the calendar to a whole new year full of opportunity and potential. Make sure you have finalized anything hanging out there. Have a tough conversation you’ve been avoiding? Get it done. Have a bill you need to pay? Don’t let it hang over your head for the holidays. Finish the year strong and start with a renewed sense of what you and your business can – and will – accomplish.
Here’s to a happy, healthy and wonderful 2012 for everyone. What’s on your year-end to-do list?

Featured image courtesy of Krista76 licensed via Creative Commons.

Jeannie Walters

http://www.360connext.com

Jeannie Walters is the founder of 360Connext, a Chicago-based consulting firm specializing in the cornerstones of customer experience: customer engagement, employee engagement and connections like social media. She is a board member of the Chicago chapter of the Social Media Club and a member of Faith Popcorn’s Talent Bank, a group of experts tapped for trend-setting information.