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Show Notes

Racing against the year-end clock? Dive into this explosive episode, where I unravel the secrets of making every remaining tick count. Join me in the “Sprint to Success” as I supercharge your marketing game for the year-end. Whether you’re seeking to reignite your passion or striving to outpace your goals, this episode is your roadmap. Let’s harness the lessons, plan the leaps, and dash to December with undeniable dynamism! Ready to finish strong and set the stage for next year? On your mark, set…

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Are you a coach, consultant, or online course creator who are looking to grow your business, increase your income, and scale your impact? Connect with me at YourMarketingMatchmaker.com I look forward to hearing from you.

Jennifer:

Hey there, welcome back to Marketing Matchmaker, can you believe that we are already in the fourth quarter, I don’t know about you, but this year has zoomed by. And one of the things about the fourth quarter for me is that it feels even faster, like there’s less time. And it almost feels like a rollercoaster ride, given all of the things that are going on between holidays and time with your family time off of work. And just the ups and downs that go along with November and December.

One of the things that I like to do is really take October to map out not only the fourth quarter, also to map out the next year, the thing is, is when I really reflect on the year and create a map of what the rest of this year is going to look like and what next year is going to be, it really does help me to be able to reach those goals.

If you think about it, have you ever gone on a trip where you just trusted the GPS, you kind of knew where you were going, and the GPS really helped to get you there. It showed you the quickest route to go the shortcuts, it saved you from pesky traffic jams or speed traps. It really helped you to make those turns when you needed to turn or even make a complete U turn. For me, that’s exactly how strategic planning works in my business. It’s my GPS, it’s knowing my destination and the ideal path to get there. And it is a game changer for business.

Because I like to do this in October, I look at it as a prime time to gauge oh, what worked for the past you have 10 months in this last year really looking at what’s working?

Did I reach my goals?

Did I need to pivot?

Did I need to change my marketing message or my services?

What was it that happened this past year will help to set up next year. And here’s the thing, if you didn’t meet your goals, yet, the really great thing is, is there still plenty of time left to do more than just catch up with your business, you can actually get ahead. The fourth quarter is incredibly profitable for a lot of business owners. But only if you go into it with a plan, and only if you’re able to stick to that plan throughout the process. And while we’re at it, let’s also look into next year, because every time you make that plan, you’re better able to create pivots and allow for adjustments. If you have that map just like your GPS on that trip, when it says turn right because there’s a traffic jam and reroute you it feels more comfortable. The same will go for your business. If you actually have a plan and get to a point where you’re like, I need to make an adjustment. It is more comfortable and easier to do.

So are you ready to map out your successful fourth quarter? And next year with me? That’s what today’s episode is all about.

If you know me, you know that planning is really my thing. And if you don’t know me yet, you will learn that along the way. And by the way, welcome. Honestly, if you ever thought about looking in my brain, which I wouldn’t necessarily suggest for most people, you’d probably see a lot of sticky notes and flowcharts and lists and diagrams. I love lists. Like they’re my favorite thing. Because yes, I am honestly that person. So much so that my family often teases me about my love affair with plans.

My sister, she flies by the seat of her pants, she once said something to me that has really stuck with me. She looked at me and she’s like you get everything you want. And I don’t necessarily believe that. However, what I do get is everything I plan for. Honestly, when you make a really good plan, you’re able to actually achieve more and that’s what I want for every one of you and your businesses.

So to start planning your fourth quarter and your next year, start by looking backwards.

If we look At the last 10 months of our business, we are really able to paint a picture of what has worked and what hasn’t, so that we’re better able to do more of what’s worked. Now, I will say, if you have not started collecting data over the past 10 months to really dive into to understand on a realistic level, what is working and what isn’t, I would encourage you to do that right now. Because oftentimes, I will see business owners assume something worked or something did, but they don’t have any data to support them.

Really diving deep into what strategies you did, and what worked and what didn’t will help you to be successful in your business. Stop section one. Oftentimes, I see business owners without a plan just winging it. And it may sound adventurous, and it may sound relaxed. But here’s the catch. It’s really hard It makes for a rocky path.

Hope is not a strategy and hoping that whatever you throw at the wall, or whatever new tactic you try, is going to work is not going to get you there.

It is going to make your life more difficult. The real art is not in throwing spaghetti at the wall. It’s not in constantly changing things. It’s in making small tweaks, and gently pivoting your business or your marketing so that it’s not a complete U turn. Because the reality is by scrapping everything, it often means that you’re missing out on the buried goal within your business, and within your marketing.

The thing is, is in our world, in this world, where we have everything at our fingertips, and it almost feels instantaneous. Sometimes it is I mean, if we’re using our phone, it is instantaneous. Or if we’re ordering something from DoorDash, it takes, you know, five minutes to get to you. The thing is, is not everything happens instantaneously. And I think that’s where a mistake happens within a lot of people’s marketing.

They expect instantaneous gratification instantaneous results.

And the real truth is lasting success is more like a marathon than a sprint. And having that strategy, having that strategic plan is going to help you take that marathon and take the right path to get there.

It’s planning out every step of your customer journey. It’s understanding each piece of the data and what it says what story it tells, it gives you direction and keeps you on track to ensure fewer of those, oops, that didn’t work. Here’s the thing, you have three fourths of the year data available to you right now. And if you look at it, you are able to really kind of extrapolate what is working and what isn’t in your business.

So you get to look at this quarter, this fourth quarter in a new light of really getting in shape so that you’re able to better end this year with a bang instead of a whimper. Knowing what has gone on up until this point helps you to understand what it is that you need to do in order to create a climax in your business. And in the end of the year. It helps you to predict what might work well right now. And what’s going to work well in the next year.

If you had something that worked incredibly well, let’s say in June, you can revisit that marketing and see if it can still work as well. If it worked really well in June, the likelihood is it’s going to work again for you in October, November, December, to really set up this year, strong and set up next year. Even stronger.

Taking stock of this last year can be incredibly enlightening. By revisiting your goals, you can really acknowledge what achievements you’ve made, recognize where the gaps are so that you might be able to fill them in in the fourth quarter and also chart a path forward so that next year is even better than this year.

And when you’re looking at your goals, make sure that you’re creating smart ones, that they are specific that they are measurable, that they are achievable, that they are realistic and that they are time bound, because dreams with a deadline If that’s a goal for you, and the beauty really lies in crafting both the immediate goals in this quarter, and also the distant ones for next year or five years, or whatever your goal setting looks like your roadmap is the strategic plan. It’s the thread that is going to sow your entire business effort into this beautiful tapestry of success.

The race isn’t over until the clock strikes midnight on December 31. And even then the momentum that we’re creating right now sets the pace for the fast start and the acceleration of your upcoming year. Remember, every tweak every pivot, every optimization can make a very big difference in your marketing. So if you’re not quite ready to be finished with this year, if you really, really want to end this year on a high note, and also create growth in your business, increase your revenue, and scale your impact into next year. I urge you to take some time to actually strategically plan.

Don’t let the calendar dictate your potential. There is an amazing amount of time left for this year. And if you’re wondering how do I begin or where do I focus my energies? Don’t worry. I am here to help be your guide. In this success, reach out, head over to yourmarketingmatchmaker.com. Let’s strategize together and ensure that your business is not just running. It’s truly soaring.

The year end might be coming faster than you think. And so are your opportunities. You’re just getting started. Here’s to finishing strong and really kick starting next year with fireworks of success. So what are you waiting for? Let’s make magic together and transform your business into the realities of what’s going on right now.

Outro: Thank you for listening to the marketing matchmaker podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, I would love to hear your feedback. Please head over to Apple iTunes and leave a review so we can hear from you. And if you are a coach, consultant or online course creator who are looking to grow your business, increase your income and scale your impact. And that put me at your marketing matchmaker.com I look forward to hearing from you.