I love this time of year. The trees are flowering. The grass is turning green. And with the gorgeous 70 degree days, nothing is better than heading out and cleaning out the gardens, getting ready for a new year of living outside every chance we get.

While much of my weekends and afternoons are spent outside in the gardens right now, I’m also spending an equal amount of time on the inside, looking at my business.

Have you heard the phrase, “two steps forward, one step back”? I like to spring clean by keeping that phrase in mind.

If you spend any time in the garden, you know some things grow, and some things don’t. Especially in cold climates like Colorado, some things make it well over the winter months, and some things die out. We plant all summer long, then spend the springtime looking over the garden, evaluating what came back, and what didn’t. Sometimes it means pulling out old to make room for the new.

The same applies to your business.

Every year, I come up with new ideas, design new promotions, plan new products and services, and release a lot of new things to my clients and prospects. Some things stick. Some don’t.

But while its okay to try new things, you also have to take a step back occasionally and make sure things are running efficiently. Are there things you can change that would make your business even better? Can you add things? Delete things?

Review Your Goals

By now you know I’m a huge planner, and goal setting is a necessity to stay on track. I talk about it again and again.

Is There Any Such Thing As An Impossible Goal?

5 Questions That Will Make You A Successful Photographer In 2011

Do You Want The Photography Life Or The Photography Lifestyle?

While its good to set up goals on a regular basis, it’s also a good idea to review and change them along the way.

I’ve read books that show you how to set up 100 year goals. And I’ve also read books that state setting goals for anything beyond a couple of years is a hindrance, because things simply change too fast. My views fall somewhere in the middle.

I agree that to set up long term goals of several years can be difficult in today’s marketplace. Technology changes and becomes obsolete every few months. Yet you have to understand your long term plans in order to set things in place today. [Read more…]