3 Things to Do in Your Biz Before the Year Ends
Hey babe,
You know what's absolutely crazy?
There are only 67 days left of 2022 🤯 I know… wild right?
67 days left to hit your end of year goals and power into the new year with confidence, excitement, and clarity.
For some of you, you may be going into 2023 ridin' high. Maybe you recently invested in your business and created a plan. Maybe you're ahead of the curve and prepped for the new year.
Or maybe you've been working so much in the business, you haven't had a chance to work on the business. I've been there… Until a few weeks ago, I realized I had spent nearly all of the past 2 quarters working in the business and serving clients that I hadn't had a chance to reevaluate, audit, and work on the business.
Whichever category you fall in, we all know it never feels good going into a new year without clarity. I know some people are like, “So what? A new year is just another day. It's nothing special…” But I think that a New Year is ALL the more special. It's a fresh slate, a new day that wasn't guaranteed, and another 365 days ahead of you to build a life you're obsessed with.
And the same goes for your business. To me, the New Year is my chance to start my business off with power, with a fresh vision, and with a refined plan. You might get by doing the same thing you've always been doing, but entrepreneurship is about change, pivoting, and constantly learning.
So if you're looking to do a little business digging and use these last 67 days of 2022 to set you up for a solid year ahead, here are a few tips on business processes I work on at the end of each year:
Get clear on who your audience is.
When we first start our businesses, we usually have an ideal buyer in mind. We have a problem we want to solve with a service or product that will do the solving, so it's oftentimes easy to identify who we're selling to. But as our businesses expand, evolve, or scale, our audience may change. For example: when I first started my VA business, I primarily marketed to photographers and creative entrepreneurs. As my business has evolved, that audience has changed greatly. Every year I like to revaluate my dream client by asking myself, “Who am I serving” “Who is currently in my audience” and “Who are my products/services for?” Once I've asked those questions, I get HYPER specific on who that dream client is. I always recommend creating buyer's personas to identity exactly who my audience is, what they need most, and how I can market specifically to them. You'd be surprised to see how your audience and ideal client changes overtime, especially if you are adding new offers/products to your suite.
Audit ALL of your marketing channels & systems.
When is the last time you updated your website? Or your Dubsado forms? Or proofread your canned emails? I try to do this quarterly, but doing a complete brand audit of ALL your marketing material, systems, and communication pieces is essential. This is your opportunity to spot inconsistencies, revamp the structure of your systems, or just simply refresh your communication to match your goals, offers, and ideal clients.
Pro-Tip: If this task seems overwhelming, break it down in chunks and work through them by tasks. For example: Start with your ideal audience FIRST, and get clear on who that is. Then move on to proofing all copy and testing all buttons on your website, removing old items in the process. Then move onto your CRM – start with forms, then workflows, then emails… You get the idea!
Review your offer suite
I'm guilty of reviewing my offer suite literally once per year… 😬 I'm sure the marketing gurus would tell me there's a method to the madness, but I take the opportunity at the end of the year to review my offers, restructure pricing, RAISE my prices if necessary, and brainstorm where my current audience is at and decide if there's anything new I can bring to the table. FYI: This doesn't always have to look like a completely new service or product. Are there new resources or bonuses you could add to your offer suite? An upsell that your audience has shown interest in? A spicy secret menu item you can pitch? For example: I noticed I've gained a massive following of virtual assistants, and none of my previous offers were serving them since I was solely focused on Dubsado. So I've spent the past month creating completely new offers and freebies geared to serve my virtual assistant audience. If you notice people are chomping at the bit to work with you but you don't have something that directly solves their problem, CREATE IT!
Your end of year doesn't have to be messy or over complicated. You don't have spend thousands on a business coach to help you elevate and prepare your business for a new year. (Although, I'm not knocking the great power in hiring an expert to guide you). What I AM saying is that sometimes it just takes a perspective shift and sitting down to work on the business to see traction and momentum.
LISTEN
PURSUING ENTREPRENEURSHIP & PUTTING IN THE WORK
On last week's episode of Ironically Serious, I interviewed Sharon Brand of Brands Media Group. Sharon is a Parsons Paris graduate who started her media agency during COVID. We talk alllll things entrepreneurship – from overcoming failures and building a team to ways to elevate your brand and overcome imposter syndrome. This is a must listen for business owners in any season.
READ
KICK IMPOSTER SYNDROME TO THE CURB
Speaking of Sharon from last week's episode, she shared how this book absolutely CHANGED her life in business when it comes to imposter syndrome and self-doubt. Although I haven't read it yet, I'll take her word that this is a must read.
UPCOMING
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Show yourself some love today,
YOU'VE EARNED IT.
As always,
Taylor