Summertime…and the living is eeeeeeaaasy…
Or so the Broadway tune goes. For many service based businesses summer can be a slow time. If that is true for your business, now is the time to take full-advantage of the lull and breathing space to improve your business in ways often overlooked.
Taking the time to do the things that matter is what sets the successful apart from the struggling.
Consider choosing a few items from the list below to elevate your business success.
Choose 1-3 maximum (except for #53, do that EVERY day). If you complete them, great; come back to the list and choose again. The goal is systematic growth, not overwhelm or fabricated to-do’s.
- Create checklists for frequently performed tasks
- Purge old electronic files
- De-clutter your office
- Update/create your business recovery/emergency plans
- Write a bunch of blog posts to schedule for fall
- Review and revisit your business plan
- Evaluate your business’ performance for the first half of the year
- Create a new product/class
- Launch a podcast
- Upgrade your social media branding
- Review and update your twitter profile
- Review and update your Facebook profile
- Review and update your LinkedIn profile
- Review and update your Instagram profile
- Review and update your Google + profile
- Review and update your YouTube profile
- Review and update your Pinterest profile
- Schedule strategic social media updates for the coming months
- Create a new signature tak
- Apply for speaking engagements[clickToTweet tweet=”Use summer lulls to vitalize your #smallbiz Here’s 53 ways to do that.” quote=”Use summer lulls to vitalize your business.”]
- Create/update your speaker one sheet
- Pre-write upcoming newsletters
- Assess your sales effectiveness
- Create/refine your system for handling paper that comes into your office
- Clean out your email inbox and folders
- Create/refine a system for streamlining your email
- Review and update your client agreements and engagement letters
- Update your personal legal docs (will, power of attorneys, etc.) as they affect your business should you get disabled or die.
- Organize and file financial records (now is a good time to avoid next year’s tax time panic)
- Assess where you can do more delegating in your business
- Hire some additional help
- Revise your marketing plan for the rest of the year
- Take more time off to rest and renew
- Update your prospect and contact management systems (whether CRM or a spreadsheet) and plan follow up
- Shoot videos for ongoing marketing
- Start writing a book
- Refresh your website look & feel, copy, functionality, and security
- Wrangle your calendar and schedule and create more space for the things that matter
- Take a class
- Meet friends and colleagues for coffee/lunch/walk/drinks
- Read a good book
- Listen to inspiring podcasts and interviews
- Delete old, unused applications and photos from your mobile devices
- Review your finances and profit measures
- Ponder and assess your overall happiness and satisfaction with your business and life
- Attend an interesting event
- Review your current contracts and investments insurance, recurring subscriptions, etc.). Cut what is no longer needed, reduce costs where appropriate.
- Conduct an audit (or hire someone to do for you) of your website and online marketing
- Dream and envision what you really want from the next year (or few)
- Schedule those annual mid-year review meetings with your financial advisor, accountant, etc.
- Schedule often neglected personal wellness appointments (doctor, dentist, massage, energy work, eye exams, etc.)
- Assess the overall health of your business and its key indicators. Improve something in one area.
- ENJOY the moment. Time is fleeting, savor the day, the summer, and the rhythms of the season.
[clickToTweet tweet=”Savor the rhythms of the summer season. Vitalize your #smallbiz & yourself.” quote=”Savor the rhythms of the summer season. Vitalize your #smallbiz & yourself.”]
Want more freedom and profit this summer and all year long? Grab the free Freedom & Profit Checklist Here.