Plant Seeds Now for a 2021 Harvest
2020 has been a remarkable year of change, coming at us fast and furious.
We have all had to pivot, adapt, and hustle in order keep on
doing what we are doing. Business went virtual, meetings went zoom, and many of
the business practices we all followed faithfully went the way of the dodo.
A new year, fiscal or otherwise is now upon us, and like
farmers who plan to grow, we should be taking this time to tend our patch well
to prepare for the new year.
The Farmer’s Almanac
says this stretch during the last two weeks of the year is the most favorable time
for planting beets, onions, turnips, and other root crops where climate allows.
Spreading roots is the best way to grow almost anything,
including your business, so let’s stretch the metaphor a bit further, and see
what we find.
PREPARE THE SOIL
Reach out to your best customers right now, today, and ask
them a simple question.
“Do you have any money left in the budget that you need to
spend?”
Asking that question at this time of the year is often a way to build relationships and make a quick connection. More than once this question has garnered new growth for my business You never know until you ask, right?
Even if they had already spent their budget, it positions you for the
next question – how might we work together going into Q1 of next year?
PLAN THE ROWS
Invite your top handful of clients to an “Assessment Session for 2020”, a virtual opportunity to define and assess pain points over the previous year. This not only positions you are a partner who cares about their business, instead of merely a vendor, it also opens opportunities for you.
- Transitions made,
- Lessons learned
- Opportunities lost
- Wish lists
- New revenue streams for your client
PLANT YOUR CROPS
Pitch ideas. Brainstorming together with your client looking forward to the new year is great way to add value for the client, as well as sparking ideas that you would then be a part of implementing:
- Case studies
- A series of blog posts
- Email campaign
- Brochures or Flyers
- “New Service” announcements
- Press releases
Say thank you. This time of year is a perfect opportunity to
connect on a human level. While not an overt promotion, it does help to forge
those bonds between us, and keep you top of mind with your customers.
Extravagance is not required, just a heartfelt, simple expression.
Which of course reminds me, I would be remiss if I myself
did not take this opportunity to thank all of you who have made my journey
through 2020 as robust and fulfilling as it has been. My friends, both digital
and virtual, my readers, those acquaintances I work with regularly and might
never actually meet, the agencies who help me find clients, the clients who
teach me so much, the poetry fans who keep me energized, one and all, I
appreciate you, and thank you for your efforts on my behalf.
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