Put Your Feet Up These Holidays
The silly season is upon us! In business, December is typically a mixed bag, with many of us trying to tie up the last few loose ends. On one hand, the holidays are just around the corner, on the other, there is still so much to be done before you check out.
Even though you might have already mentally checked out, as you dream about heading to the bach or enjoying a good old Kiwi summer, it’s important you remember that there is still work to be done. The actions or processes you put in place now will have a massive impact on how well you start 2019.
So ask yourself, are you going to do everything you can to hit the ground running from day one? Or are you okay with leaving it till next year? If you are like me, you are aiming to kick things off now.
Have a plan of attack
What are your goals for next year? Are you looking to take over another 2% market share? Or, are you looking to bring on four new staff? Whatever you are striving for, make sure there is a detailed roadmap for how you are going to get there.
That roadmap is your strategy. Our view is everything, no matter how big or small, should be backed by a sound strategy. Make sure you take the time to review this year’s strategy and design your strategy for the new year.
By doing this now, you will be minimising potential downtime when you do get back into the office, meaning you can get straight into things from day one!
Don’t be afraid to think big
Do you have a grand idea that your team has been slowly working on in the background? If so, work this into your 2019 strategy and plan to release it early next year. There is no better time to launch a potentially disruptive product than when the competition is still struggling with the post-holiday blues.
But the groundwork for launching it starts now. If a launch is to be successful, you’ll need the stars to align. So, ensure there is a solid strategy behind it, your team are ready to go and the data backs your decision to strike.
Ask for feedback
With people starting to wind down, the next few weeks are a perfect time to engage your key stakeholders and seek valuable feedback. Collecting feedback now will allow you to see any variations or trends that have materialised over the year.
Gathering feedback can be done in countless ways. Whether you seek it in a formal end of year review, send out a survey as part of a Christmas EDM, jumping on the old landline and giving them a call or simply catching up over a beer this Friday. Your customers will be more than willing to pass on feedback, harsh, positive or neutral, as long as you ask and they believe it’ll help you help them reach their goals for next year.
Rejig your marketing strategy
At this time of year, we are all bombarded with marketing messages. Every man and his dog are flooding the market with holiday-themed messages aimed at getting us to act now. In order to cut through all the noise, consider switching up your approach.
A well thought out and executed December marketing campaign could prove to be the driver behind a highly productive December period. Start by thinking about your customers purchasing behaviours and pain points around this time of year. Is this the period where they are looking to purchase products or place orders for the start of next year? Or, is this the perfect time to send out a gentle reminder about your services and push to set up a meeting first week back?
Rejigging your marketing strategy to align with the behaviours of your customers at this time, could be the perfect way to kick start the new year.
Get festive
This is the season to be jolly, so don’t forget to get in the swing of the festive season. Dress the office up, send your clients some fun and exciting Christmas presents or spoil your staff to a wee Christmas shindig.
We use this time to send our clients some quirky presents that not only let them know we appreciate them but also shows the fun side on BBT. While our team love the opportunity to get out and enjoy a bit of an end of year get together.
Of course, this is a great time to connect with your clients and team in a less formal way, but it is also a great way to recharge everyone’s batteries. Use this time to reiterate the business’ vision and core goals.
By squeezing the most out of December you’ll be setting your business up for a successful 2019.
