Labor day has come and gone. Depending on who you talk to, Summer is either in the books or has a few more precious weeks of sunshine to give us. No matter which camp you’re in, it’s not an unfair assumption to say that a lot of us are reimagining our Summer vacations or picking out our favorite sweaters for the upcoming chilly autumn mornings.
But have you been using your post-Labor Day plans to revisit your business goals? Believe it or not, Labor Day, along with New Year’s, is the biggest day for business renewals. In a short piece for Forbes, Indiebooks Cofounder and CEO Henry DeVries recently explained the importance of Autumnal renewals. But why are the cooler months such a hotbed of renewal activity? One theory is that Autumn’s arrival signals the quickening end of the year. The beginning of October signals the start of Q4, and the final segment of the year is when many businesses are rushing to meet their year-end goals. The result? Owners and executives spend a lot of time around Labor Day reassessing their goals and making important decisions. If you’re looking to book new business or secure contracts, get ready for a busy season.
The concentrated efforts required to stay on top during the last stretch of the year requires focus and perseverance. Luckily for us, DeVries shares some insights from Mark LeBlanc’s book Growing Your Business, in which he talks about how to maintain a Fall focus that is the envy of any gridiron quarterback. Check out DeVries article for a more in-depth look, but if you’re pressed for time, here are the major takeaways:
Get into a routine. Schedule like a maniac. Mapping out the smaller decisions allows you to go into work and tackle problems with a laser-like precision. Are you only checking and responding to email at certain times of the day? When are you scheduling meetings? Which projects get the bulk of your attention on each day? Getting these questions resolved far in advance saves you time for menial organization and lets you work with the stuff that really matters.
Take initiative each day. If you’re determined to chase down new business, make a regular habit of reaching out to one potential client daily.
Work with Marco-goals. A regular task list might be fine, but you’re racing against the clock. You need to think long term. Do this by setting goals at 30-day intervals, and don’t get hung up on daily benchmarks.
DeVries also shares expert insight on the importance of teleclasses. These sessions are great for potential client communication and are relatively low-effort and low-cost.