“An
end-of-the-year checklist to help get things in order for the upcoming year.”
It's the end of the fiscal year for most, but this isn’t the time to
rest on your laurels and wait for the New Year clients to come in. By maximizing
this time, the beginning of the new year, you can set yourself up to be more
productive in the coming months.
Here are some things that you can do that will help you hit the ground
running in 2016.
1.
Evaluate the virtual assistants that are in your arsenal.
If you are not aware of what a virtual assistant is, it’s anyone that doesn’t directly work under you, but takes over tasks that you can’t do, don’t want to do, and shouldn’t be doing. These are the administrative duties keeping you from actually doing your business. There are companies that can do your administrative jobs for you. Your virtual team includes tax attorneys, website wizards, marketing firms, PR agencies; the list goes on and on—anyone who takes on parts of your workload, whether part time or full time, in order for you to get focused on the business at hand which is actually working on your business.
2.
Show appreciation to your clients.
Whether you are sending holiday cards, thank-you notes or even having a giveaway, this is a good practice to get going in your business. Showing appreciation tells the clients that they are not just a dollar sign.
3.
Finalize all of your “C” priorities.
Your “C” priorities are those things that aren’t very pressing, but still need to be done at some point; why not now? The unanswered e-mails, follow up calls, un-filed or misfiled information. After reading an email, if it is something that is worth keeping, have a folder system set up to transfer it to, do not simply leave it floating in your inbox. By setting up email folders, you keep yourself more organized. If it is something that is of no importance, delete it immediately, clutter causes chaos.
4.
Maximize your website.
Hopefully you are utilizing a service for keeping your website current, but even if you are, go though it anyway and determine if any changes need to be made. By keeping up on it yourself, you keep your techs on their toes and have less site errors. Make sure that your website is not just an online brochure for your business, but is actually gaining clients.
5.
Create or review your email campaigns and contact lists.
If you are not utilizing contact lists and keeping in touch with your client base through e-zine or newsletters, you are leaving a large sum of money on the table. It’s all about effective marketing and effective marketing is all about the relationships. Eluding back to number one, people want to feel remembered and appreciated.
6.
Upgrade, update and clean up that computer.
If your system is bogged down, obsolete or just full of junk that makes finding documents difficult, you need to fix it now. End of the year sales makes for some great deals on new systems, new programs, etc. Your computer generally holds most of your important information, so make sure to take care of it. Upgrade the OS if necessary, make sure that all programs, apps, and system updates are all up-to-date. Get rid of unnecessary files, archive old files to an external hard drive, add more memory and Ram if possible, and defragment your harddrive. This will help keep your computer from crashing.
7.
Clean, clean, clean.
When was the last time you tackled your filing cabinet? When was the last time you saw the top of your desk? It is now a good time to organize and clean the workspace. Trust me, when you decllutter, you will find that it relieves stress and helps you focus when you are in a clean, clutter free environment. Knowing where everything is will also maximize your time. Spending 15 minutes looking for a lost file is a waste of 15 minutes that you could have gotten one or two new clients, you could have used that time to draw up a new product, you could have even used that time to make some of those return calls and emails that have been piling up. Dusting will help your health also, just saying.
8.
Where did you drop the ball?
Very simple exercise that has the potential of being extremely powerful. Get rid of any distractions, set down with a pen and paper. Now think about and write down the top 10 to 15 things that didn’t go to well for you this past year. Then, before you have time to get depressed, go over each and write down what could have been done to change that situation for the better. By doing this, you are addressing the problem and creating a solution, so the next time a similar situation occurs, you jump right into the solution and, therefore create a better outcome.
9.
Where did you score?
Now, on another piece of paper, write down the top 10 to 15 things that went right for you in the past year. Get as detailed as you can about it. Don’t be embarrassed to show a little pride in yourself. Concentrate on each one and try to come up with a way to do it better. There is always room for improvement. For these accomplishments, did you reward yourself? Very important that you reward yourself for jobs well done.
10.
Set your goals
Decide what you want to do in this upcoming year and write them down, start figuring out how to accomplish them. Goals are like a road map; they get you focused on where you need to go. If you have already set goals, re-evaluate them. Sometimes goals change as our circumstances change. Keep your goals updated and fresh on your mind.
Now relax, make a cup of hot chocolate, kick back and enjoy the rest of the holiday season knowing that you are ready for 2016.
No comments:
Post a Comment