Many people start each year off with a New Years resolution, but why don't you start your year off with 5 and I promise, if you stick with even 2 or 3 through out the entire year, your business will be up too.
1. Keep a calendar or planner with everything you need to do and all correspondence always with you.
2. In your office or home have just one place all your incoming undone paperwork goes.
3. Never let a week go by that your In box is not caught up and emptied.
4. Set up, use or improve a customer referral program
5. Take time to network with peers; BNI, local group, regional round table, regional industry event, National convention or trade show.
And the reasons why these will work. Most business loose work or opportunities for work because they let little things slip through the cracks. Do you have piles every where of notes, messages, receipts, etc. If everything is in one place and always at hand you are less likely to miss things.
If you keep on top of the little mundane work, like putting way your paper work, you are more likely to have bills paid on time, not run short of inventory, able to see a problem before it becomes one.
Your happy customers are your biggest asset, so use them. Ask them for new work at their own omes, ask them to send their friends to you, use their testimonials to convince potential customers neither of you have even met, on your web site and through social media. You can save 20-50% of the cost it takes to find a new customer when a current client sends one. Treat and pay your referral clients well, like an employee, they are making you money.
Nothing improves your business more than learning from others in your business who have already learned it the hard way or have done it themselves. The cost of taking time off, travel and the other expenses will be well worth it in the long run. Go with a set list of problems or ideas you have to run by others and you will come home with game plan for improvements.
But above all have a positive outlook and a great start to your New Year!