210: How to BOSS the rest of 2023 with a successful strategy (Boss your Q4 series)
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Today’s talking points:
As part of the Boss your Q4 series, I’m sharing exactly how you can BOSS the rest of 2023 and set up the new year for success with this successful strategy.
I am SO excited to bring you the Boss Your Q4 series!!!!
Over the next 5 weeks, I’m going to be coaching you on finishing 2023 strong, strategising the rest of the year and me basically trying to help you as much as I can!
Now, I get that we are at the end of August, but let me tell you - this is the time to be thinking about Q4.
You don’t want to be thinking about these things in October and November when you are rushing to execute, rushing to plan, rushing to strategise, you feel like you've lost a grip on your goals, you're trying to slow down for the holiday season.
That's not the vibe. You want to make sure that you're looking at these things with enough space and looking at them ahead of time so you can really plan and set yourself up for success.
So to kick things off with the first in this series, I’m going to share with you the things that I encourage you to look at for this point in the year.
This is going to allow you to see what’s going on, what’s already planned for the rest of the year and anywhere we need to reevaluate, readjust, and re-strategise.
So get your pen and paper out because you're definitely going to want to write these things down!
1) Revisit your 2023 goals
The first thing you want to do is revisit your 2023 annual goals.
I always stress this when talking about quarterly planning: start by revisiting your annual goals as it's easy to lose sight of them as the year rolls on. Sometimes the initial excitement and intention of January fade or folks might shift their goals, even forgetting what they initially aimed for.
What were your plans for this year? And how close are you to hitting them? Got a clear picture? Are you sure what to look for? Especially when it comes to your yearly revenue goal—can you see what's coming in? I
I personally recommend that you monitor the percentage of progress toward the annual target every month, every quarter, even at the halfway mark. Assess: How far off are you, or are you doing so well that you should tweak the goal? Take a peek at that percentage of your yearly sales target. Also, how about your other non-income annual goals?
Get those figures and especially calculate them, as soon as possible. Why? This will tell you how much money you need to generate over the next four months to hit that yearly income target.
2) Are any offerings underutilised?
So, once I get a sense of where I stand in relation to my goals, the next step is looking into my vault, my product suite, and my offerings. It's about identifying what's there that isn't getting the attention it deserves. It could be a guest training you did for someone else, a recorded session, a paid masterclass, a bundle, a mini course, a passive learning module, a template, or any other valuable resource. Chances are, you've got something existing in your collection that's yet to be fully utilised, something your audience hasn't seen enough of. This is where you can infuse new life into it – perhaps by planning an exciting bundle or a seasonal flash sale.
3) Look ahead at your 2024 quarter 1 vision
So, after you’ve assessed what's underutilised, it’s time to look at what's lined up for the remainder of the year.
You might have launches in your plan, or perhaps not. Personally, I check out what's already in motion. If I've got a launch scheduled for September, for instance, I map out all the other components. And if there are gaps, I fill them as needed. Then I shift my attention towards the horizon – into the first quarter of 2024.
Now, I want to emphasise that I'm not aiming to overwhelm you here. Instead, I want to encourage you to develop the habit of forward-thinking in your business. Remember, you're not locked into any plan, strategy, or anything else for that matter. Things can evolve and change. However, having an outline, a guideline, and a roadmap that keeps you accountable and on track makes content planning smoother, goal setting easier, and strategising a breeze. It significantly simplifies your life.
So, the third thing I do is look ahead to the first quarter of the upcoming year. I ask myself: Will I be running any programs? Launching offers? Can I pre-sell or accept deposits for anything in the coming months? It's worth thinking about. If you've got a major launch slated for January, February, or March, you can tap into the excitement early by offering pre-sales or deposits towards that program. This way, you secure some funds for your annual goal before this year wraps up.
4) Reach out to previous clients
The fourth point to consider, and I know this might not apply to every business, but it's applicable to many of you. It's something that has proven effective for me. So, once I've strategised about boosting my income for the remainder of the year, I ask myself: Can I extend private invitations? Is it possible to personally contact past and present clients, inviting them to join new programs, encouraging them to renew, or even asking for referrals?
This is a bit like backdoor sales. Think about people you'd genuinely like to collaborate with again – it's a way to generate stable and predictable recurring revenue.
5) Consider your 2024 goals
Point number five, and this is an important one - you want to at least dabble with your goals for next year, 2024.
Think about next year ahead of time. Shift from thinking about ‘what can I sell?’ to ‘what do I need to have in place this year to set myself up for success next year?’.
The business you have in three to six months’ time is a result of the work that you are doing now. That means the business you have in February 2024 will be a result of where your focus is from September onwards.
I always think back to my first maternity leave in 2020. I was moving a lot of things around in my business, knowing that I was going to become a mum for the first time. I knew that I needed different systems, software, mentors, team members, workflows - everything. I knew that I had to create those things in 2020 for Jacob to be born in March 2021. I remember thinking, thank goodness that I laid this foundation then because trying to establish that foundation during the first trimester of my pregnancy with Jacob or even when he was born, would have been so difficult.
So, my suggestion is simple: just take a moment to look ahead to 2024. Consider your goal ideas. What elements do you need to secure? What setups do you need to establish to position yourself for success? This could entail a system, software, team hiring, workflow refinement, or mentorship. Delving into these matters ahead of time is so important.
6) Take a moment to reflect
Number six, another thing to consider when we're planning to really wrap up this year in the best way possible is thinking about what you loved and didn’t love in the past year.
Take a moment to reflect: What lit you up? What do you want to do more of? What do you want to do bigger and better?
Then on the flip side, what needs to shift? What didn't you love so much? What needs to be revisited or readjusted?
Keep a running note of that in your project management system. It's just very important to keep a pulse check on what you're actually enjoying in your business and what's working really well. So you can take that into consideration when you're doing this planning, and then also shedding and releasing the things that didn't really work or didn't really feel good for you.
7) Implement a strong tracking system
Now, let's move on to point number seven. Ask yourself: Do you have a solid tracking system? Is it easy for you to see your goals? How quickly can you see your profit margins? Can you quickly clance at your percentage sales goal? How about your expenses? Do you know what’s coming in?
Do you possess a clear overview of what's predicted, even in the coming months like September, October, and beyond?
Understanding the numbers in your business offers tremendous peace of mind. I find great comfort in looking ahead and assessing what I've already secured and what's coming up. This approach transforms the goal from abstract to concrete, making it a reality.
On the other hand, if you go into a new month and think - What's going on? What am I selling? What's already coming in? What was my goal? You're going into your business blind. It's very, very difficult to plan and strategise in an effective way if you don't have a good grasp on what's happening in your business.
I truly believe that having this grasp on your numbers on your metrics on your growth on your KPIs is what's going to allow you to grow more quickly.
I hold a strong belief: that focus fuels growth. Concentrating on your growth, visualising how close you are to your objectives, and acknowledging the revenue streams already in place will propel you forward with remarkable momentum. This mindset shifts the focus from scarcity to abundance, which I emphasise a lot with my clients.
let’s recap
Now, let's wrap up and recap the key points we've covered in this first part of the series:
Revisit Your 2023 Goals: Take a closer look at your goals for this year and assess your progress towards achieving them.
Maximise Your Product Suite: Evaluate your existing product suite to identify opportunities for greater utilisation and potential bundles.
Look Ahead to Q1 2024: Consider your plans for the upcoming year's first quarter and how you can lay the groundwork for success.
Private Invites Strategy: Explore the potential of private invites and direct outreach as a strategy to boost revenue at the end of this year and into the next.
Ponder Your Goals for Next Year: Start contemplating your goals for the following year and where you'll be focusing your efforts.
Reflection and Adaptation: Reflect on what you enjoyed this year, what you want to amplify, and what needs adjusting or changing.
Implement a Solid Tracking System: Ensure you have a reliable tracking system in place to monitor your progress, sales, expenses, and recurring revenue.
Remember, this isn't meant to overwhelm you or make you question your organisation. This is a healthy discussion to have at this stage of the year. We’re inAugust, time is still on our side. This is your chance to get those pieces in place and to make aligned strategic decisions for the rest of the year.
Lastly, remember this: The energy you put into something is way more important than the thing itself.
Your business can expand beyond you, you just have to make sure that you are willing to scale and expand yourself.
See you in part two of the "Boss Your Q4" series!
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