12 Ways to Profit and Get Ready for 2011
December 8th, 2010 // 9:05 am @ Scott
As promised, I’d like to give you a quick checklist on actions I’d be taking if I were you, actually, I am taking these actions. Some requires some extra effort, some fast attention, but well worth it. The end of the year only rolls around once every 12 months…got to make the most of it all.
In addition to maximizing the end of the year, you want to be primed for 2011, before it gets here.
For Your Customers:
1. Send some sort of Holiday Greeting to them, show your appreciation. And remind them how smart they are to be your customer at the same time.
2. Have some type of Holiday Sale, or campaign that enters the conversation going on in their minds, they are buying tons of stuff from other people, why not you (now the appreciation and the sale are two different things…I like it best this way)
3. Offer a special renewal program where it’s applicable (and if not, why don’t you have some form of membership or continuity in your business…make that a goal for 2011)
4. A “get in while it’s still 2010 pricing” is a great sale, for any type of premium product or service or a membership program. Use this in your message, it’s a great motivator, and it’s a great excuse for you to raise your prices.
5. Painstakingly go through your customer database and allocate into a VALUE Pyramid, top 5%, top 20%, top 50%, bottom 50%, etc. Look at what can be done to move people up to the next level of value. And then, most importantly, determine what you can do to keep your customers at the top, at the top. And what can be done to increase their value. Now add this plan to the ones you’ll work on in the upcoming numbers. Identify who your best customers are and where you can go and get more of them.
6. Map out your Customer Relationship and Sales Campaigns for next year. So many people look at this as being the ENTIRE business, but it’s only a part of the business. You should be focused at least 50% on getting MORE customers, not just selling your current ones. Oh, do that, but just make sure it’s not all you do. So, here, you focus on KEEPING customers, and SELLING them more stuff, what will you do each month. Take information from #5 and apply it here.
For Yourself:
7. Take a look back at 2010 and make a list of everything that you did, tried, put in motion. What worked, what didn’t work. What’s new, what have you forgotten about. Then dissect it and figure out what you learned and what you can take with you into 2011.
8. Similar to #5, but specifically to your goals and numbers. What were your real goals, and benchmarks, and where are your numbers currently. Decide what made it so. And write down your plan for 2011 specifically about your numbers.
9. Now take #5 and #6 and begin outlining your Marketing and Money plans for 2011. What you’ll do, start, try, implement. How much money, customers, etc. will you have and where will you get them from. Remember your goals/numbers desired in 2011, dictated the rest of the story…make the plan that leads to the results that get you those numbers.
10. MY FAVORITE. Make a list of all the adjustments, changes, new rules, and most fun, what you are going to eliminate for 2011. Frustrations, negative people, time wasters, and profit killers. Make the list and get to work, make Dec. 31st your deadline to have this # fully in motion.
11.MY FAVORITE #2. Make the list of everything you want to tackle and try NEW for next year. Make a list of everything you are going to do to make sure it happens and that you’ve got the support you need. As example, mark you schedule for the year, allocate all Chapter Events (seriously) Mastermind Days (if applicable) Private Coaching (if lucky) and whatever else you know you need. This is your Implementation Plan that ties into your “what’s new” plan. New business, new market, new income stream, etc.
12. Now, this will be your favorite part. Plan and schedule, your vacations for next year. You should be able to outline your 2011 calendar after completing #1-11, now go back and decide on when, where, and how you’ll take some time away. There’s no right amount. But you need to put them in place, it gives you something to look forward to, and if you commit to them and tie goals to them, you’re stuck, in a good way, to making sure you stay on track for the year and for your vacations.
Now after all of that, you ought to be ready for Christmas and to take a break. I know this, with money and opportunity comes great responsibility, planning, and strategic thinking. Nothing is on accident. And the 12 ways to profit and get ready for 2011 are a perfect example of what it takes to make success happen ON PURPOSE.
Pace yourself, do half one weekend and half another, then go back through each of them between Christmas and New Years…just make sure you don’t finish 2010 without a plan to start 2011.
Enjoy The Month.
Scott
Category : Blog
