16 Admin Tasks to Consider When Starting a Small Business
Starting a small business is an exciting time. There are so many things to think about and plan for! Administration tasks can easily fall by the wayside, but they are important to consider as you start your small business journey. Here are 16 important administration tasks to consider:
“taking care of these tasks will save you time (and money) in the long run.”
Professional email accounts: Setting up professional email accounts using your domain name looks much more polished and trustworthy than using a free service like Gmail. You can connect your professional email accounts to your favourite productivity apps like Microsoft Outlook or Apple Mail.
VoIP telephone: A VoIP (Voice over IP) telephone system uses the internet instead of traditional phone lines. This can be more cost-effective and offers features like call forwarding and voicemail-to-email integration.
Postal address: Every business needs a postal address, even if you're operating entirely online. You can use a virtual office service which gives you a prestigious address and access to meeting rooms and other facilities when you need them.
Social media: Which social media platforms will you use to reach your ideal client? Make sure you set up your accounts and populate them with engaging bios.
Google Business Profile: Claiming and optimising your Google Business Profile is essential for businesses that want to be found online. It's quick, easy, and best of all—free! Regular maintenance will help ensure you feature high up in Google searches.
GDPR compliance: The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect in 2018 and applies to all businesses handling personal data from EU citizens. If you're not compliant, you could face hefty fines. Make sure you understand the GDPR and have implemented appropriate measures within your business. You may need to register with the ICO (Information Commissioners Office) if you handle data (likely).
Headed paper: Headed paper is stationery that includes your company name, logo, postal address, and other contact details. It's useful for sending out letters or quotes/estimates to customers.
Email signature: An email signature is a block of text that appears at the end of every email you send out. It typically includes your name, job title, contact details, and website URL. Creating an email signature is quick and easy but it makes a big impression on recipients.
Ideal client: Who is your ideal client? Consider your ideal client and create a profile. The more details the better. This will ensure your communications and marketing are all geared towards who you want to target. Once you know who your ideal client is, you can start to build a brand that appeals to them. You should consider your ideal client with everything you do.
Brand kit: Developing a strong visual identity is important for any business. Your brand kit should include logo files, a colour palette, fonts, and other design elements.
Onboarding procedure: Document your prospect customer journey and your new customer journey so that each customer journey is the same. Create a checklist to follow. Having an onboarding procedure in place will help ensure that everyone is on the same page from day one.
Project management software: Consider using cloud-based software to document systems, i.e ANY task that is going to be repeated in your business should be documented for future growth and maintaining consistency in your business. I use Notion and can’t recommend it highly enough. Project management software will also allow you to collaborate with your team and even third parties.
Open a business bank account: Even if you are a sole trader, it is a good idea to have a separate account for your business transactions. This will make things much easier when it comes to doing your tax return.
Find an accountant: A good accountant is essential to running a business. They will ensure that you are using the right business structure and that you are meeting your legal requirements when it comes to taxes. They will make sure your business is tax efficient. They can also offer business advice and take on your bookkeeping function if required. I recommend Together We Count for all your accounting needs.
Insurance: Business insurance can help to protect your company against losses due to damage or accidents, as well as liability risks like lawsuits. Given the wide range of possible hazards that businesses face, there is simply no excuse not to have adequate coverage. Make sure that you have the right insurance plan in place. It may end up being one of the smartest decisions you ever make.
Find a Virtual Assistant: Chances are, if you are setting up a business you are doing it with a limited budget. Hiring staff may well be out of the question at this stage. A Virtual Assistant (VA) can help you with time-consuming tasks freeing up your time to do what it is you went into business for. Outsourcing admin to a VA will save you the cost, worry and responsibility of employing someone. Many VAs will offer ad-hoc support or retained services guaranteeing their availability for you. If you are interested in using a VA or just discussing how one could help you, please get in touch today.
These are just a few of the important administrative tasks to consider when starting a small business in the UK. While it may seem like a lot of work upfront, taking care of these tasks will save you time (and money) in the long run. Do some research and put systems in place now so that you can focus on growing your business later on down the road!
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