Use the quiet period to plan ahead
In our industry, December can be a very quiet month but that makes it the ideal opportunity to plan ahead. January usually sees a peak in business for office supplies dealers, so utilise any down time you have in December to get yourself and the business set up for 2017.
Here are some ways to get your business ready for the New Year and to get through some of the backlog you may have put off during the year:
Review your social profiles
Update your profile picture across all your social media platforms. You can read our other social media tips blog but the main thing to remember is consistency is key. You need people to see your brand at least 7 times before you even register on their radar. Think about strengthening your content to give a clear idea of your brand, as well as making it easy find your contact information.
Check that all the links on your website are still active
There is nothing worse than someone clicking on a link that doesn’t work on your website. Check that all your forms and payment buttons are working from start to finish.
Check your tech
Having a good digital system in place that allows you to work more efficiently and effectively is a must. You can use the down time to assess how well your existing system is working for you or to research other options that could help make significant improvements to your set up.
Slip in some reading days
These days are a must, allowing you to learn, get inspired, keep up with technology, and help you understand what’s going on in your industry. Make sure you don’t miss anything, knowledge is power. Normally, setting aside the time to do this is tough; however, if you plan ahead and block out these periods on your calendar, they can be accounted for and will help a huge amount.
Stick to the Schedule
Committing to next year’s programme will help you focus. Marking in days where you will work on social media, press, and marketing will make these tasks easier. Providing consistency in your agenda is a good thing and implementing attainable productivity habits at the start of the year could help lead you to success.
Take the time to map out key events and seasons, book in meetings that you had to post-pone or cancel this year. Planning and staying organized will help your brand grow and give you a more positive outlook.
Stem the email flood
Drowning in emails? Delete or archive them. Let’s get that inbox back to zero with only the important and relevant things coming in.
Focus on the work you enjoy.
Take an audit of the jobs in your business that you don’t enjoy or can’t do and take steps to outsource in the New Year. Think you can’t afford it – can you afford not to?
Check competitors ads
It’s very important that you know what your competitors are doing and how it’s affecting your bottom line. Keep a file on this and you will be happy next Christmas when you pull it out and know what your competitors did, how it affected your business and how you reacted to it.
A final thought on preparing for the New Year
Consumers are more demanding, competition is more fierce, online marketing is here to stay, and there is much more risk to succeed in business than ever before in our history. So it boils down to who are the true business professionals who can get ahead and stay there? Will you be one of them?
