Here it is, the new year and other than the date, things are pretty much the same as they were before Christmas. Right?

Unless Santa dropped a bundle of cash down your chimney, budgets can still be tight for small businesses and sometimes, getting a clear vision of this year’s “Big Picture” for your business can be a bit of a challenge.

Never fear! Here are seven super simple, cheap & cheerful, low-to-no cost projects that you can do to kickstart your new year and make a difference in YOUR big picture. Each one of these projects will generate a measurable ROI of your energy, time and limited funds!

1. Update your Social Media sites’ “About” pages. Add fresh info and edit anything that’s old or stale. Social media is always evolving and changing – you need to stay current. (Change your profile image on your FB, Twitter and LinkedIn pages while you’re at it!) Don’t know how to format an image or the dimension? Check out this link for the info: Social Media Image Dimensions

2. Update your website’s “About Us” page. Change the graphics to fresher, newer images; add a new profile picture to let visitors know who you are and current customers recognize you; update your product/services description with new descriptive words.

3. Get a New Logo. Redesigning your entire site takes a lot of work and costs big bucks. A new or re-designed logo can add new life to your visuals without the huge cost. Short on funds? Try www.fiverr.com

4. Pick up the phone. Call your 15 best clients and say “Thank you for your business” That’s it. ‘Nuff said.

5. Give Kudos. Post and thank your Top 10 online friends publicly. Your best blog commentators, Facebook friends, Twitter re-tweeters or Google+ sharers deserve recognition and thanks.

6. Use your email list. If you haven’t sent an email newsletter to your list lately, send a friendly New Year’s greeting. It will help keep your email list fresh and maybe inspire a few sales, too. (Bonus tip: Include a coupon with a call to action!)

7. Don’t have an online newsletter? Start an email list. If you don’t have it, now’s the time to get an email list started.  *check out TCWA’s Business Services for Newsletter Campaign Management

BONUS TIP:  Check your site’s keywords. Is your site using the best and most current keywords to help you attract more free search engine traffic? Check your website’s title, page headers, intro copy, image tags, and internal linking structure. (not sure what to look for or how to do it? Check out Geek Boutiq’s Maintenance packages for website assistance.

Not sure where to start? Give me a call or connect with me through my website, because my purpose is to help you Stand Up & Stand Out in your business!. Here’s to your success!

Now Go Get Connected!

About Cathy Kuzel

With 25+ years of experience as a successful Entrepreneur and Business Consultant helping Entrepreneurs succeed, she is recognized across Canada for her in-house and public seminars on “All Things Small Biz”. Named one of the Top Ten Mentors in Canada, Cathy is the Founder of The Connected Woman Association, Author of “Are You a Collector or a Connector?”; “I’m on the Phone!”; the internationally known “Daily Espressos” and is a networking maven.