Tax season is over!
[ applause ]
For many business owners, tax season means a couple frantic days of running numbers and bugging the accountant, followed by a sigh of relief and a quick brain reset once it’s over. But before you clear your heads, we’ve got another idea: Why not translate the time you’ve spent analyzing your business last year into fuel for the future? Taking a longer-than-usual look at your finances can open your eyes to ways you might restructure your budget – and maximize your marketing.
Analyze Your Results
While going through all your expenses over the course of the past year, you likely spotted some areas that made you think: Oops. Maybe you overspent in one area, or under-earned in another. Whatever went wrong, there’s good news: Now you know better! When planning for the future, you’ll be better prepared to avoid the potholes and enjoy the drive to where you want to be.
Understand Your Industry
You’ll also have a better understanding of what it takes to succeed in your industry. With the knowledge you uncover while reviewing your financial results, you can gain valuable insights into what’s benefiting your business – which strategies are drawing a consistent profit, which techniques aren’t working for you (or your customers), and how best to invest your funds for better results.
Start Fresh – Not from Scratch!
As we’ve mentioned many times before, it’s important to have a plan – and equally important revise it as your needs change. An example: If you’re starting a new business, we might recommend allocating a higher percentage of your budget to marketing. Once you’re established, some of those funds might be better funneled into other facets of your business – like current client satisfaction, for example. If a hard look at your results from the past year indicates your marketing money could’ve been put to better use, it’s probably time to reassess your strategy.
So go on – turn those number-crunching sessions into lucrative lessons. And if your findings reveal your marketing plan could do with revising, we’re here for you!