Two weeks ago we talked about 2013. I know it’s October, but the five most important months for your business are right here before you.
Two weeks ago I shared the secret to a great 2013. Do you remember the secret?
Ok…here it is again.
The centerpiece of a great business year is to have an amazing first quarter—January, February and March. Start the year fast, and build on that success. Your customers will be in an eggnog coma at least until the end of January, unable or unwilling to say “yes” to anything, and many won’t have their budgets until February at best.
So to have a fabulous quarter—a quarter that sets the year off on the right path by actually having sales when customers aren’t in the buying mode—you want to have an amazing FOURTH quarter! That would be… like…hm…now.
Get the business sold in the last quarter, and then deliver and invoice in the first quarter.
It also means something else. Now is your 2013 planning time. Now is the moment to put a few hours on your calendar to lay out what you want in 2013.
Chris and I are planning an Y’All Come planning session in early November to share some of our planning tools and to help you refine what you’re putting on the table for 2013.
Until then your job is to start the plan now. Right now…today…before you go do anything else…set a date on your calendar to map out what you want to accomplish by December 31, 2013. And then plan the year backwards. If that’s what you want to accomplish by December, what must be accomplished in November, then October, September and so on…?
You’ve got three months to step up to complete 2012 and launch 2013 in the right direction. You’ve got about a month to plan your 2013 before your thoughts are overwhelmed by end-of-year holidays.
Make your commitment to yourself and your business now. Get that planning date on the calendar and get ready to join Chris and me in November when we pace you through refining your success plan.
Go. I hear the clock ticking…
Go forth and do great things,
Martha Hanlon and Chris Williams
P.S. P.S. Want just one provocative idea for shaking up your thinking for 2013? Check out this blog article blog article from us last year.