My Girl Scout training taught me to “be prepared.”
Back then, it meant gathering enough kindling to build a proper fire, or carrying a canteen with extra water.
Now, it means periodically reviewing and reflecting on what’s ahead for my business. At the end of Q3, it’s good to look way back to January to see what your goals were.
Don’t beat yourself up if your current self hasn’t lived up to the hype of your January self. You’ve still got three months to pull out a victory (or two) if you don’t get distracted.
Here’s a handy checklist that will help you do a quick check-in and reset as we move into Q4 2017.
Review How Your Marketing Campaigns Worked So Far
Look through your key metrics for campaigns you ran the first two thirds of the year. How did they do? Do the results mean you need to shift priorities through the end of the year? If something isn’t working, stop doing it.
Prepare Your Content Calendar
If you’re blogging and/or sharing on social media (and hopefully you are), take some time to stockpile some content ideas and schedule them on your content calendar of choice. When the holidays start approaching, you’ll be able to have a pumpkin spice latte instead of scrambling for topics.
Make Sure You’re Up To Date with SEO Shifts
Google changes its algorithm a few hundred times a year; have you changed your SEO strategy this year? Of course you always want to keep your customers’ needs in the forefront of your content planning, but you should also be aware of shifting search priorities. Moz is my go-to resource for SEO.
Leverage End-of-Year Spending
Yes, it feels as though the end of the year is “looming,” but there’s some silver lining in there. Consider offering a special discount or bonus for new customers in Q4. Some organizations end up with budget to spend at the end of the year. You might be able to nudge indecisive prospects with a special deal.
Don’t Coast
It’s tempting to ditch accountability if you haven’t achieved your lofty goals for 2017 yet. Don’t do it! If it’s been a lackluster year, choose just one of your goals and hit it hard now. Set your mind on how great you’ll feel as you put your feet up in December by the fire. Break it down into weekly tasks, and get after it.
If you want to share your “one goal” with us here in the comments, we will cheer you on!
Featured image via: Jessica Ruscello
