You look like you’ve gone out of business when your copyright date is old.

I visit sites all the time that say things like “Copyright 2009.” I automatically assume they closed down without making it through the year. Maybe they prepaid their web hosting, and that explains why the site is still up?

The out-of-date copyright undermines my confidence in a business. Maybe I’m just anal?

Dates matter, and it’s not just on the bottom of pages on your website. They matter in forms you use, like the client intake form used in some practices. They matter in articles you hand out. They send a subtle message about your practice.

I just updated the dates on the application attorneys use when they’re seeking my services as a consultant. The form has some questions about revenue and income, and I moved the dates forward to the current year.

I also just checked the copyright dates on each of our websites. They’re all current. Now, I’m hunting around for other dates on documents we use around the office.

Welcome to 2014. Are your dates up-to-date?