Tips to Boost Your 2019 Finish
Where did the year go?
Not to worry, there is still plenty of time for actions that will help you finish 2019 with a flourish and set the stage for a strong 2020.
Here are four tips for you and your team to consider that might make your New Year’s Eve celebration even more festive!
1. Identify what must be completed by Dec. 31.
Be realistic. The holiday schedule is a huge obstacle to productivity and meeting deadlines for projects. Clients are often unavailable. Your staff members have holidays to celebrate and vacation time to burn.
Assemble your team and take a hard look at the projects in the pipeline. What has to get done? Build a schedule that takes the hours available and obstacles into account and see what is possible. Then commit to the plan. And remember, making significant progress on an important project can be a December “win.” Get it on the calendar. Make it happen.
2. Embrace a “Don’t Do List.”
Setting realistic priorities can be tough. As a team, agree on actions that you can’t fit into the final weeks of the year. That doesn’t mean the projects and company goals aren’t important. It means that there are other projects that have a higher priority. Take them off the docket for 2019. Revisit them in your plan for 2020.
3. Set 2020 goals and outline plans to achieve them.
If you are putting your 2020 plan together in January, you started too late. Find time before the end of the year to set a course for growth in the new year. Client by client, review your book of business. Develop a plan for earning more from existing clients. Set realistic targets, but don’t be afraid to stretch. 10% growth for each client? 15%? Some experts say 60-70% of your new revenue should come from existing clients.
Knowing that some clients will scale back spending or leave you altogether, you also have to set goals for acquiring new business to offset the revenue loss. Who are your prospects? Who are your competitors? Who can you steal?
Speaking of clients, how well do you know them and their industries? Schedule meetings in 2019 and plan for 2020. The more you know about them and their strategies and goals, the better partner you will be. Are you at their trade shows? Do you do ride-alongs or observe their business in action? Do you see their research?
4. Get your house in order
Are you proud of your website? Is it as good as it can be? Does it help build your business? Do your efforts on social media generate interest in your company? If you respond with anything less than a resounding “yes!” to these questions, perhaps it is time to regroup, then refresh and reboot you to strengthen your digital footprint.
Somewhat related, is your office technology up to snuff? Does your team have the tools to do the job efficiently? Is your systems support network solid? Are processes and procedures working smoothly? If not, can you devise a plan for upgrades in 2020? Now is the time.
Are all your employees strong contributors to your performance? If not, what actions will you take? Addressing performance issues is a challenging but critical part of managing for success. You need to be able to delegate important tasks to trusted and capable team members who are talented, focused and empowered.
