For those of us who live north of the equator, summer is nearly over, kids are heading back to school, business events are starting to ramp up again, and life is getting back to “normal”. I don’t know about you, but I always feel like September is the start of something new. It’s time to ramp up your business, plan and get results.
There are only 4 months left in the year! I know, where, oh where did the time go?
Have you developed your “game plan” with specific goals and actions for the last third of the year? If you have, that’s fantastic. If you haven’t, then now is the time to get yourself ready to get “back to business”.
Book It!
I recommend booking “planning” blocks in your agenda so that you’re ready to go and create results as soon as the school bell rings. It’s a great way to create momentum now so that you can hit the ground running.
Many entrepreneurs are so busy “doing” that they put planning on the back burner. They stay focused on the “now” and you might be saying, “I don’t have time to plan!” I know from my own experience that when I sit down and make a plan with specific goals, objectives, and accountability measures, I accomplish more and create positive momentum and energy that take my business to the next level.
Just Do It!
Review Year to Date Plan
- Are you on track to meet your goals?
- If not, what is getting in the way?
- If yes, what must you do to ensure you reach or exceed those goals?
- What’s your best business success this year?
- Where do most of your revenue come from?
- Where do you see opportunities for your business to:
- Grow sales
- Wow your customers
- Make improvements
Plan and Set Your Goals for the last third of the year
- What’s your revenue target? What’s your stretch target?
- What mix of products, services or programs do you need to reach that target? Do the math!
- What are your 3 top priorities? How will you focus on them each week/day?
Define Your Strategies
- What’s your marketing strategy?
- What’s your social media/digital marketing strategy?
- What do you need to develop/create/update, if anything?
- What’s your communications strategy (both to existing clients and new prospects)?
- Who are the partners that will help you succeed?
- What systems do you need in place?
- Who is your support?
Create Specific Actions
- How much time will you spend on each activity?
- How many people do you need to contact?
- What program or service will you launch and/or deliver? What’s your timeline?
- What events will you attend?
- What are your 30, 90, and 120-day actions and goals?
Knowing and being on top of your top 3 priorities and having systems in place to deal with day-to-day activities creates an amazing feeling of empowerment and positive momentum in your business.
What will you do to get “Back To Business“, please share your thoughts below.
I love to see entrepreneurs follow their passions, serve more people and create the lifestyle of their dreams.
- When Life (or business) Give You Lemons 🍋 Made Lemonade - November 15, 2022
- The Power of Great Questions! - August 9, 2021
- Get Sh!t Done – The Power of Accountability! - August 4, 2021
Great post. I love all the questions you pose. I especially agree that you should take some time to plan. There is a saying in Project Management: There never seems to be enough time to plan, but there always is enough time to go back and do it again. You will gain a lot of efficiency by planning – even just a little bit. Thanks for this post!
I bought myself a calendar that I can write down my plans and goals for my Scentsy business and my blog. Keeping track of your plans is the way to go!
I am so guilty of getting caught up in the here and now instead of following my plans for the future. You just scolded me real good. Now I need to focus on what’s important.
Great tips and advice! Never thought of it like a back to school start, great concept.
When my coach told me we had to be ready for the holiday season by end of August, I gasped. But we mapped it out- fell behind and are getting back on track. Good points and yes, Sept does feel like back to school and keep going.
Great points! Let’s all have our plan and remember to check-up on it from time to time and stick to it too… 🙂
What a great list! We begin gearing up for the 4th quarter just after Mother’s Day. We start working on the flowers and Christmas greens we want to order and from which companies. We decide which items we want for our gift baskets. And of course there’s networking and marketing. It’s one quarter that “life” can’t get in the way.
I have been focused on my last quarter money making strategies. I am ensuring it will be a busy last quarter
Having a plan laid out with goals is the best way to reach and exceed your expectations. I agree that without them we tend to get consumed by all that we need to accomplish and before we know it have lost valuable time. A daily TO DO list helps also. This way you can mark things off as you go and at the end of the day you can clearly see all that you accomplished. Great post.
Super check list, Heather! I totally agree, many of us get so caught up in the here and now that kind of forget what is really important. Stephen Covey has a matrix: important/not-important vs urgent/not urgent. Covey explains that most of us focus on the urgent but not-important (aka “putting out fires), when in fact we should be focusing on the important – not urgent (aka – long term planning). In reality a business should have both. And yet, while the inevitable does happen, good planning eliminates many problems.
THANKS, I am sure others, like myself, will use your lists!
HUGS <3
I completely agree, September to me always feels like the start of the new year. Goals for this time of the year are a great idea.