It’s October! And that marks the beginning of the last quarter of the year! Where has 2019 gone??
Laying the groundwork now, in the last quarter, will ensure you start the New Year strong. If you want to increase sales in 2020, then you should start planning for that now. But let’s face it, we have been going hard for the past three quarters, giving it everything we’ve got, and we might feel like we want a break. Add to that, we are getting into holiday season, starting right at the end of October and running until the first week in January, it seems like every week there is some sort of celebration going on. As a result, we are busy and clients are busy.
The fact remains though that the work you do in the fourth quarter determines the number of doors you will open and sales you will close in 2019. So, how do you keep the energy going, and make your fourth quarter rock?
Here are a few suggestions to keep your momentum going strong!
Have a plan –
You should have a rock-solid plan that will take you through to the New Year. Put the final touches on any courses, programs or events you are getting ready to launch. Having a good plan will allow you to use your time as effectively as possible and help you from getting off track. My suggestion – map it out on a calendar so you know EXACTLY what is happening over the next 3 months. Make sure to include all business projects, events, meetings, etc. as well as your personal commitments so that you can stay on top of what is coming up. This will also help you plan for the shorter term (such as weekly) because you can see what is coming and what needs your attention first!
Look at your numbers –
How can you know if you are going to hit your financial goals if you don’t know your numbers? You need to sit down and look at your numbers. If you need to organize them, get that sorted and figure out what you need to do in order to reach your goals. This is also SUPER important when it comes to creating REALISTIC sales goals for 2020. You need to have your numbers so that you can set goals that make sense for you and your business. Now I’m not saying don’t set BIG goals…if you want to increase your sales by 50% then go for it but you have to know what those numbers are before you can even try to set financial goals and now is the perfect time to start doing this so you aren’t scrambling at the end of 2019!
Follow-up with clients –
Follow-up with all current clients, potential clients and past clients. Business owners are all in the same boat. They are working on their current goals and creating new ones, they may need your help. Reach out and see how you can help them. This may not bring anything to you right away but a lot of entrepreneurs find that when a new year comes around they want to make new habits so if you put a bug in their ear now and they start following you and watching what you do come January they may just be knocking on your door asking for help!
Focus on the New Year –
People get excited for the New Year. They are motivated and full of big goals and dreams. Find a way to market to your clients or customers going into 2020. Think ahead – what do you want to achieve in Q1 of 2020? What do you want to offer to your clients or potential clients? Do you want to change things up in your business or are you wanting to continue on with what you are doing now? There is no right or wrong to this but taking time to stop and think about it over the next few months will greatly improve your chances of having a successful New Year!
There is still time to finish the 4th quarter off strong so don’t let it stress you out. Schedule in some time to do some reflecting on 2019 and make those goals for 2020. A strong finish will help propel you into a strong start in 2020!
What are you working on this quarter so that you can make sure to finish this year off with a BANG?
