Product Showcases

Spring Cleaning

"In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours."
  --- Mark Twain

Spring is upon us and for many of our northern sign industry friends, it can't come fast enough! Spring is always a welcomed season for many reasons: warmer weather, flower and showers, increased business for some, and the signal of renewal. This is the season that marks a starting point for creating a fresh start which also means cleaning out some of the old junk, including bad habits and bad attitudes.

Spring cleaning isn't just for the home. It is for our businesses as well. The cleaning can occur at anytime and should be on a regular basis. But since the season of Spring has always been the time to reset, redo, and/or reorganize, let's set this time of year for going through our business and sweeping away the trash that has accumulated due to being too busy or distracted to even see the dirt and dust.

"I believe in process. I believe in four seasons. I believe that winter's tough, but spring's coming. I believe that there's a growing season. And I think that you realize that in life, you grow. You get better."
  --- Steve Southerland

There are three areas we should focus on to keep the Spring cleaning simple: Removing clutter, Dust off your reasons, and Sharpen your tools.

"The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring."
  --- Bernard Williams

To remove the clutter, the first thing we need to do is take an inventory of what has worked and what hasn't in our business. What products are no longer selling? What sales pitch is now obsolete? Even go so far as to take a close look at your workforce and determine if an employee should be utilizing his or her skills in another area of your business, or even someone else's business. Sweep out the clutter and remove things that serve more as an anchor for your business than a helium balloon.

"The spring wakes us, nurtures us and revitalizes us. How often does your spring come? If you are a prisoner of the calendar, it comes once a year. If you are creating authentic power, it comes frequently, or very frequently."
  --- Gary Zukav

Next, dust off your mission, vision, and purpose statements or whatever you use as your reason for being. Examine the foundation of you business and see if it still jives with what you are currently doing. If things have changed, then now is a great time to rewrite or amend your statements to reflect your business now. Share the changes with all of your team members so that everyone is dancing to the same beat.

"Every spring is the only spring, a perpetual astonishment."
  --- Ellis Peters

Finally, Spring offers us the opportunity to sharpen our tools. In other words, look at where the sign industry is heading and strive to stay out in front. Look at what new skills you and your staff can learn to keep pace with your competition. Conduct an honest self-assessment and find out what is lacking from your skill set. Perhaps you can take a communication class or attend a seminar on managing employees better. Find out what is available regarding new training for your team members.

Spring has sprung and is the perfect time to do some business cleaning. Start with these three items and you'll be better prepared for the remainder of the year.