We're soooo close to the end of 2020! While I don't want to rush time, I know a lot of us are going to be glad to see the end of this crazy year. But what I don't want you to do is slide out of the 4th quarter in a chaotic mess. We want to end this year strong to prepare for whatever is coming in 2021. How do we do that? I'm glad you asked!

1. Money Matters

Of course you KNOW I'm going to tell you to review your financials - it's the most important thing you can do for your future success! The key in the 4th quarter is to be sure you're going to end the year in a good place. If not, can you add in a few "designer days" or quick consulting gigs to add income? Those are good to schedule and put in place now because they can give you an infusion of quick cash. If you ARE going to end the year with strong profits, start to talk to your accountant about your taxes and any steps you could take now to reduce your liability. You may want to plan for those soft times we usually see in our business around the holidays - do you have enough cash to get through those weeks and into January? Finally, think about the goals you want to have in 2021. It could be a slow year, so do you have money in the bank to help you through? You want to plan strategically for every eventuality!

2. Improve Your Marketing

Marketing now usually helps you get jobs in 3-6 months. So even if you're busy right now, you want to up your marketing game in the 4th quarter to help your business in 2021. Can you create a direct mail piece that touts a new look for home in a new year? Could you reach out to former clients with an email campaign? And what about the holidays - do you plan to send a gift that also includes a marketing piece? Pull a marketing strategy together now to help you kick off 2021 with a bang! 

3. Look Back and Forward

This has been a crazy year, right?! What would you change about how your business operated this year? It's a great time to do a quick review so you can finish the year on a good note. And think about what you want to adjust or add for 2021. Economists are not bullish about the next year and some things - like supply chain issues - are going to continue to be a problem. So how will you change things to react to that. You might want to operate as lean as possible, just in case. Or you might want to start thinking about a custom or retail option for your product procurement. Using strategic thinking like that will help you end the year in a strong position, which sets you up for a great 2021.

4. Set Micro Goals

You have about 12 weeks left - so what can you do in that amount of time? A LOT! Sit down a make a list of micro goals for each week. You can put 1 to 2 in each week. Those can be small steps to help get you closer to a bigger goal. Or they can be little goals that you've meant to achieve for a while. So maybe you want to review your Instagram analytics so you'll be ready at the end of the year to adjust your social media strategy. Or maybe you want to review your communication plan for your clients. Clear all of those things off of your "to do" list before the end of the year. Imagine how great it will feel to have the decks cleared for a new year!

To help you with those goals, download my FREE 3rd Quarter Business Review Guide. That will help you decide what you want to focus on before the end of the year. Finish strong!

Click Here to Download the 3rd Quarter Business Review Guide

xoxo,

Kathleen