How To Win During the Sluggish Season
As time draws closer to the end of the 2013, I hope that you are not thinking of slowing down in your efforts to grow your business!
NOW is the time to kick your business activity into a higher gear. Rev your engine and step up your Virtual Assistance game. You may ask, ‘How do I do that?’ That is a very important question and I have an answer for you. But, before I answer your question, let me tell you why it is imperative for you to do so.
Why Kick Into A Higher Gear Now?
‘Tis the season for slowing down and getting lazy. It is possible that you as a business owner may feel that this year is finished. That is far from true. There are 46 days left in this wonderful year. You, my friend, should make the best of it. Avoid the sluggishness that occurs in November and December and use the remaining time to light a spark under your business.
Many of your competitors will not read this message and you can get the edge over them. By stepping up your game, you can use the next 6 weeks to build traction and gain momentum as you blaze a trail in January! How will this benefit your Virtual Assistance business? Think about it for a moment. A sluggish November and December leads to a sluggish January. Do you want to start the new year at full speed?
Start now by planning how you want 2014 to look for your business. Decide how much revenue you want to generate in 2014. Break that number down into quarters (i.e. January – March; April – June etc.). Then you will want to break that into even smaller monthly segments. Now, how does January look to you? It is important that you give your marketing activity a turbo boost starting now! Let’s talk about how.
Focus On One Activity
Take a look at the marketing projects that you are working on right now. You may be using LinkedIn as a way to find clients. If this is true for you, then put intense focus into building your LinkedIn network. Apply to groups where you will find your target market. Connect with people who may be a referral partner for you. If you average 10 connections each month, step up your activity and make 20 or 30 connections during November. Then repeat that process in December.
Do you have a blog that you use to connect with your prospective clients? Take a look at the number of blog posts that you average each month. If you post twice each month, step it up to 4 or 5 posts in November. Then repeat the process in December. You can do the same with in-person networking. Attend more networking events before the end of the year. Maybe you normally have a goal of making 3 to 5 connections per event. Step it up to connect with 6 to 8 new contacts.
Here is a follow up key. Because many people are falling into the sluggish season mode, be sure to ask your new contacts a very important question. “When would you like for me to follow up with you?” Many people may say, ‘After the holidays.’ This is perfect for you because you are already geared up to start January on the fast track.
Plan For Success
Make a quick-plan that will allow you to take advantage of the few days that you have left in this year. This part is really simple:
Step 1: Choose the one marketing strategy that has been most effective for you this year.
Step 2: Mark your calendar with the days that you will engage in this one marketing strategy.
Step 3: Set up a time for follow up. (If January is when you should follow up – GREAT!)
Step 4: Set FIRE to January by starting the year at full speed.
It is dangerous to wait until January 2014 to “start fresh”. Use the remaining days of the year to increase your marketing efforts. Get in front of the people that you are meant to serve while other Virtual Assistants are becoming overwhelmed by the sluggish season. Create a plan for 2014 and start January at full speed. If you want more help with building your VA business, learn how to ‘Dominate In December’!