The last quarter of the year is generally when most organisations begin the countdown to the holiday season. The problem is, many see this period of time as the end of the business year, meaning that as January rolls around, all momentum is lost and businesses are forced to start all over again. What if instead, businesses started harnessing their momentum from 2021 into the new year ahead?
Harnessing momentum doesn’t mean you need to come down hard on your employees or clients. Planning around this season of events can ensure you not only get an edge over competitors taking it easy over this time, but start the next year off with a bang. Here are a few simple ways you can do so.
Reach out.
The holidays are a time of year many actively try to spread joy and remember to show gratitude. Use this time to reach out to all of your contacts. Don’t mention anything about business – instead express how thankful you are for their support this past year. Add an extra personal touch if you can. Whilst some larger organisations may choose to splurge on gift baskets, a handwritten card certainly goes a long way.
Shift your mindset.
Instead of viewing this time as the countdown to some time-off, re-frame this time as an opportunity to close deals whilst your competitors are taking it easy. You don’t need to be pitching new clients every day of the week, but maybe use this time to create new connections on LinkedIn, or instead of cutting loose at any holiday parties, use the time to network. You never know when people are looking to do business, and taking every opportunity to be front of mind is what guarantees success in the long run.
Stick to the 30-day rule.
As any business owner will know, it can take weeks, sometimes months, to fill a sales pipeline. One of my favourite books is Fanatical Prospecting, by Jeb Blount. This book has been instrumental in helping me find and close over 1000 clients in under 2 years, and it’s all because of Jeb’s 30-day rule: the prospecting you do in this 30-day period will pay off for the next 90 days. Essentially what this means is that by taking one month off, you’ll hit a slump in the next 3.
Engage with and nurture new leads.
In this day and age, social presence is power. Instead of taking a social media break over the holidays, use it as an opportunity to post some end-of-year themed content. Some great content to share are your yearly stats and successes, reflection and gratitude for key moments, sharing your new year goals and asking your followers theirs, and, one of the best ways to get engagement, holiday themed polls.
It’s important that you don’t forget any new followers during this time. Be sure to take note of them and follow up with them directly in the new year.
Expand your partnerships.
The holidays, in my opinion, are all about giving back. Giving back however, doesn’t mean that you can’t still generate business and positive PR. Over the holidays it’s more likely you will have extra time on your hands, so use this time to lend your skills to charitable organisations or local businesses who had it tough over these last 2 years of upheaval. It’s important that we humanize our businesses, and build personal connections to others. One good deed speaks volumes more than any marketing campaign.
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There’s no reason to let your momentum die this holiday season. By taking advantage of the approaching slow period, you have a unique opportunity to increase your brand awareness and client-base. There’s no point in planning for the year ahead if you don’t intend to finish this one off strong.
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