As a small business owner, you're likely juggling dozens of systems. The main ones are email newsletters, booking links, client onboarding processes, website updates, and of course, your social media profiles such as LinkedIn. But when's the last time you really looked at them? Over time, it's easy to become so familiar with our processes that we stop noticing the little things until they cause problems.  

Three ways to stay sharp and keep your business running at its best are:

1. Question Past Decisions: The way you set things up three years ago may no longer make sense today.

Are you:

• Still using the same CRM you started with, even though it doesn't integrate with your email system?

• Still manually sending invoices because that's how you've always done it? 

Take time to audit your tools. There might be a better, cheaper or more efficient option available.  

Ask yourself: Is there a simpler or more automated way to do this?

2. Review What's Right in Front of You: The other day, a friend discovered her contact form hadn't been working for weeks, costing her inquiries and potential clients.

To avoid this:

• Go through every page of your website. Do all links work? Are forms sending confirmations? Is your contact number current?

• Re-read your most used presentation slides, email footers and service descriptions. Is everything still accurate?  

Don't assume, check to verify.

3. Know What's Happening (Even if you didn't set it up): It's ok if someone else built your website or set up your payment system. You're not expected to know the technical details, or let alone to make modification to it. But it's critical to check the work you outsource and make sure you understand what's supposed to happen when someone interacts with your systems. 

Ask yourself:

• Do you know where new lead info goes after someone submits your contact form?

• Do you know how to test whether your checkout process is working properly?

• Do you have your logins and documentation saved somewhere safe?

Operating in “set it and forget it” mode might work for a while, but can easily lead to missed opportunities, technical glitches and outdated information. A quick review today can save you time, money, and stress tomorrow.

Bonus Tip: Set a monthly reminder to review one part of your business, such as website, email templates or social media bio. A quick scan can catch mistakes before your clients do. 

Please reply here and let me know if this article was helpful. 

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