Another one bites the dust… what happened to the first quarter of 2021?!?
If you’re anything like me, you love a fresh start, and a new quarter is just as exciting as a new year. So, instead of sitting here wondering why we are still inside but time is still flying, I challenge you to embrace what you’ve done this year so far… and get ready to do even more in Q2!
A good place to start is to give yourself a little audit for the past 3 months (think of it as a personal business review) and see where you’re at, what you accomplished, and where you need to improve. I’m going to walk you through how I do my quarterly audits and set myself up to stay on track and kick some business booty!
Start with the WINS- New Years’ has a way of bring out our biggest goals, and in a year with all kinds of uncertainty, we may not have met all of them. But there is no point in beating ourselves up thinking about what we didn’t do. Look over your past 3 months and celebrate your wins. The goals you hit, the progress you made, the habits you implemented… you’re doing something right- make sure that you take some time to enjoy it!
Run the Numbers- You know you’re getting business, but it’s a good idea to keep track of how/when/where it’s coming from! Don’t wait until tax time!! This is YOUR business, so make sure you KNOW what is going on! Get clear on your
Sales volume
Expenses
Growth of Social Media (follower/engagement)
Where your customers have come from so far
Who is in your pipeline
Systems and Habits- I talk a lot about habits, and how to make sure that you’re creating a good set of solid habits in your life. And, just as important as habits are your systems. These are the day-to-day things that can either make your life really hard or a heck of a lot easier. So, now is your chance to make a change. If your habits and systems aren’t serving you look into what is causing the issues and tweak it. Are you still running around like a chicken with our head cut off? What have you been missing or need to change to make things run more smoothly and be the most efficient? See the issue, take the note.
Check for Consistency- How’s your brand looking these days? Are you confused about your messaging and how you want to be perceived? As you audit your business, operations, and day to days, make sure your brand is clear and consistent. This is a great time to make edits, get clear, and show up intentionally! (hint hint- the brand you can help)
Marketing Plan- Was your marketing plan on point for the first quarter? What worked, what didn’t? Track your analytics on social, email, google, etc to see what was working best for you. Do you know where your ICA hangs out? Are you spending time and money in the right places? Map out your marketing for the next 3 months based on the results of what’s happened so far this year. Be flexible and ready to make pivots as your customers, audience, and social media evolve.
Revisit your Why- Each quarter we tend to get so wrapped up in our business that we lose sight of WHY we got started in the first place! I like to take some time to reflect and remember what lights my fire and why I do what I do. It’s a great way to infuse your passion back into your business, and helps you stay motivated!!
Avoid Burnout- We (meaning me cough cough) have a tendency to bite off more than we can chew sometimes. This is a great time to check in with YOU and make sure that you’re head and heart are still in sync. Do you need to scale back? Take on more? Outsource? The biggest thing we want to avoid is burnout- so be honest with yourself! Make sure your check your balance- are you living to work or working to live? Make sure you’re having fun!
Start your Q2 Plan- Once you’ve had a nice -honest- check-in with yourself, you’re ready to start planning for Q2. Set some goals! Take what worked, change what didn’t, grab your calendar, and make a detailed plan on how you’re going to achieve your big goals for the next 3 months! The more detailed the better!
Happy Planning! Can’t wait to see what YOU do!