5 Legal 'Spring Cleaning' Tips for Your Business

We're well into April, and it's time to do some spring cleaning.

For business owners, spring cleaning can mean much more than simply organizing your office. It's also a good time to reflect on your business as a whole, and perform some legal "spring cleaning" tasks as well.

Here are five spring cleaning tips, and some related legal reminders, that can pay off for your business:

1. Remodel, but be mindful. Winter weather or just the passage of time may have wreaked havoc on your physical storefront. As a result, you may want to undergo some remodeling and updating. Construction can be dangerous, especially if you continue to serve customers. So you'll want to put up warning signs if there are any dangerous conditions on your property.


2. Refresh your website. Things move at a lightning pace on the Internet. That means your cool and hip website which you designed in Spring 2012 may not be so innovative in Spring 2013. Along with the look and feel of your site, you also will want to update things like your Terms of Service to reflect changes in the business world.


3. Get your finances in order. Tax season is always a good reminder to review your company's finances in general. This can include keeping better records and minimizing unnecessary expenses, according to the National Federation of Independent Business.


4. Revise your employee handbook. Does your handbook include a social media policy? What about other updates you've been meaning to include? Your handbook may be an enforceable contract, so you'll want it to reflect your vision for your business.


5. Plan your marketing tactics. If you've been resisting social media fads like Facebook, Twitter, and Yelp, now may be the time to jump on board. Face it, these "fads" are not going away anytime soon, and you don't want to be left behind. Just be careful to follow FTC guidelines when marketing online.

Of course if you need assistance with any of your legal spring cleaning, it may be a good idea to consult an experienced business lawyer near you.

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Related Resources:

• 5 Ways to Show Your Biz Is Socially Responsible (FindLaw's Free Enterprise)
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• Send Fake 'Phishing' Emails to Test Employees? (FindLaw's Free Enterprise)
• Top 5 Reasons Small Businesses Must Go Mobile (FindLaw's Free Enterprise)