Spring is traditionally the time of year associated with rebirth and rejuvenation. Flowers are in bloom, the doldrums of winter are over, and everybody’s mood seems to improve. If your house is anything like mine, Spring is also the time for “Spring Cleaning” and the undertaking of minor and some not so minor household repairs and improvements. From putting away the winter wardrobe to taking a harder look at that old torn window screen, it’s a great time to evaluate and fix little things around your home.

Once your house is in order, what about Spring Cleaning for your business? Do your marketing materials all match up and look consistent? Is the content on your website up to date and fresh? Is your current marketing or advertising plan working? If not, maybe it’s time to clean your business and evaluate whether your brand needs some small improvements.

Clean Up and Update Your Website

When was the last time you read over the content on your company’s website? If it’s been a while, you may not realize that some of the information may be so outdated that it doesn’t even apply to your business anymore. Is your pricing correct? Are there any old promotions still lingering? Are you and your customers sick of looking at the same old photos all the time?  Does the navigation and layout look dated and out of touch? Do you have broken links on your site that lead nowhere or to an error page? If you answered yes to any of these questions it may be time to update your website. Remember your website will never really be “finished”. It is an evolving, almost living component of your brand that needs to periodically change and be refreshed. Nothing says “I don’t care about my businesses’ appearance” to customers more than a stale website. You wouldn’t wear the same exact clothes everyday for 3 years, so why would you let your website look the same. Instead of making your website an ancillary part of your brand, make it the engine and driving force for new business.

Try a New Approach to Marketing

With all of this renewal and rebirth in the air perhaps it’s time to re-think or update your marketing strategy as well. How and where are you getting your message out? What is working and what isn’t? Perhaps it’s time to try something new. Have you thought about Search Engine Marketing as a strategy? Do you ever Google your business’ name to see where it appears? Is it on the first page of the results, or do you have to go through page after page before you find your website? Did you know that 42% of internet users click on the top search result? If your business has a great website, and you want potential customers to find your business, then you MUST invest in Search Engine Marketing for your website. Optimization is the fuel that drives visitors, and more importantly possible sales, to your site. It can be your most valuable marketing tool. If you haven’t yet considered it, it’s time to talk to an expert about it.

Update Your Logo

Design styles change over time and it doesn’t take long before your logo can look outdated, making your business appear behind the times. Sure, an established brand is a good thing, but an old logo can send out  the wrong signal. Upgrading your logo is a simple investment and does not mean changing it completely. Many companies change their logos over the years, but still maintain their brand. An update, such as color change, font change, new tagline or a re-draw on your original design shows a fresh, inspiring new look that says a lot about your business and demonstrates its quality.

Maintaining a fresh outlook and keeping the parts of your brand up to date helps build brand loyalty and brand freshness. A little “Spring Cleaning” may be the key to a successful Summer and Fall.

First off, I’m very grateful to Logo Design Guru for giving me the opportunity to share my story. Being an entrepreneur was something I dreamed of from childhood, as I’m sure we all have. My 9 to 5 was killing me, my enthusiasm and my marriage. It wasn’t until I was stuck in a micro-managed, stress laden job that I decided there has got to be more to life than this.

In 2000, I trekked off in search of a career. I hadn’t a clue as to what that was, but my husband was instrumental in kicking me out the door into the world unknown. Had it not been for his support, I would have probably ended up in a stressful 9 to 5 again. That year, my company was born and my spirit was re-born. The corporate world taught me a great deal of how not to run a company.

I’m the CEO/Founder/Creator Extraordinaire of Cactus & Ivy, a small manufacturer of cruelty free and vegan spa, bath and body products, that utilize ingredients to revitalize and restore the skins normal balance. Being an entrepreneur is my new and final way of life. Every day is filled with joy and challenges and they are mine to celebrate or conquer. Not having ‘the man’ breathing down my back is a huge relief and I have vowed from the beginning that my employees would never feel inadequate or like a number.

Running a business is rewarding and hard work. In the past, I’ve had people comment about how nice it must be to come and go as you please and not ‘work’ for a living. Nothing could be farther from the truth. If I promise an order to a client and I’ve got one day to fill it then I will work until my promise is fulfilled. If that means working until the very wee hours of the morning, then that’s what I do. Owning a business is not a cake walk like some people may believe. As the owner, sometimes you are the manager, order taker, order filler, bookkeeper, shipping manager and customer service representative all in one. Not all entrepreneurs have employees, therefore sometimes you must also be the ‘Jane or Jack of all trades out of necessity or choice. If you don’t have the capital to pay employees, it is necessary to wear all the hats, but if you do have the capital, but have a hard time delegating responsibility, you still wear all the hats.

While my business produces challenges at times, I’m a fighter, not a quitter.  You pull yourself back up and look for ways to make it better. As a business owner, I have more time to spend with my family and friends because I am able to tailor my schedule. I make the choice to work into the wee hours of the morning if it means spending a relaxing day focusing all my attention on my family and/or friends. Don’t get me wrong, my customers are very important to me and it is my number one priority to make sure their orders or customer service needs are taken care of before I consider taking time for myself. In my opinion, nothing compares to being your own boss.

One day, I will be in a position to afford bringing on fun and success driven individuals. While my goal is always to produce products with a purpose, I want to be surrounded by people who can’t wait to wake up to come to work, give it their all, and have fun in the process. Until that day comes, I will happily be the ‘Jane of all trades’ because I absolutely, unequivocally love what being an entrepreneur!

Lisa M. Rodgers is the CEO of Cactus & Ivy a cruelty free and vegan manufacturer of natural spa, bath and body products.