21 Weeks and Counting! Are you on track for year end?

Setting goals…

Are you a business owner, a sole practitioner or a team leader for a sales or business development team? Did you set goals for the full year but took some time off this past summer and now want to recharge and re-energize?

Fall is the perfect time to get in gear. Hopefully, you are refreshed from some fun in the sun this past summer and now you can focus on achieving whatever goals you want to for the last 4 months of the year.

Take stock….

If you set goals in the beginning of the year, take a look and see what you set out for yourself. Was it reasonable? Did you write it down?  Were you trying new ideas? Did you execute? Did you track whether or not they worked?

If you did track your business development ideas and execution, then you can simply review what worked, what could have been better and set out a new game plan for the next 4 months. If something really worked well, see if you can replicate it again in a new way, perhaps different partners, a different list of invitees, new venue or  some fresh take on what worked.

If you did not track what worked, then sharpen the pencil and review all the new clients or business you landed in 2013. Where did your best and most favorite clients come from? Can you replicate the ideas, functions, events or invitations that brought these folks to you.

Service, service, service…

All too often, we hear the stock phrase that new business comes from referrals. But what kind of referrals? How do you ask? Do you ask?

 The best way to get a current client to refer business to you is to be sure they feel special. Make them feel the love! Let them know you appreciate them in ways that appeal. This will vary depending on the kind of business you have or product you are selling. A happy client does not necessarily always spread the word but a disgruntled person will tell others. So be sure you are taking care of your core clientele and ask them what they like, what you could do better and what else they would like to receive from you in terms of service.

 Make a plan….

You have 21 weeks and during that time we will have the Jewish Holidays, Thanksgiving, Hanukah, Christmas and family obligations, school functions, other holidays. So plan around them but make a plan.

Write it down! Make your business goals for the last four months and then break them down to monthly goals. You can then break those down to weekly goals. The weekly goals should be posted somewhere you can view them regularly so you can focus your daily tasks to meet those weekly goals.

It could be as simple as getting to work 30 minutes earlier twice a week and using that time to implement a client service strategy. It could be writing 3 notecards each day to valued clients to let them know you appreciate them. Or you might try attending one networking function a week for the next 2 months to see if you connect with prospective clients.

Having a plan and breaking it down to daily tasks is the best way to focus on meeting the big picture. I  promise you that if you set out a written plan, break it down to monthly, weekly and then daily goals and tasks, you will increase business and be much more efficient at work.