I have been busy this summer planning the next few months of business development and just completed an article on my other blog for MarketSimplicity about planning. You can read this at www.marketsimplicity.wordpress.com so in keeping with the spirit of the end of summer theme and things to do for the fall; I felt this would be a good idea to point out a few smart things you can be doing for the last part of 2011.
First take some backups – your email, on line bank and other statements/information, bookmarked internet favorites etc. These are little things that you count on but always seem to neglect. If you have a disaster you will look to the sky and thank me for reminding you to do this. I also spend the summer getting together the first half of all my financial records (bank statements, receipts, etc.) which make life so much easier tax time. I also take a backup of all my computer data as a mid-year snapshot (well end of summer 8/31).
If you have a CRM system now is the time to look at loading all of the business cards and contacts you got over the summer but never took the time during those beautiful days to put into your Marketing System. Some of those inactive records need to be looked at and how they can be made active. Devise a campaign to get them going again. Develop some go to market campaigns that can be launched September 15th right when people are back in full tilt.
In terms of your technology use the slower time to update all your systems and software, implement a new productivity tool for the post summer business, clean up your email boxes, take a zip drive and backup all your critical documents, take out your cleaning kit and clean your keyboard and monitor! Like spring cleaning the end of the summer lets you remove the remaining clutter so your mind is clear to focus on the last part of the year and the big push to generate revenue.