I know, I checked the calendar. It's only October. October, that wonderful month when Texans get to take a breath of crisp air that isn't 98 degrees and 79% water! That wonderful month when the leaves on only one tree in my yard change color. County and state fairs open and those wonderful "pumpkin patches" show up again. I have to admit, I do love fall. It's my favorite season in life.
It's my favorite season in business as well. You see, I think October is a great time to take stock. No one wants to do a year end review in January when the weather is awful, the house is a mess, and all those Christmas cookies have suddenly shown up on your mid-section! No, let's do it now! Let's see where the business has come from this year. Who gave you your best leads? What advertising worked? What didn't? Look back at each transaction critically and see what you could have done better. Do an "autopsy" on the things that didn't quite work out. What could have been done differently. Be brutally honest. Sometimes the answer is "I shouldn't have worked with that client". Or, " I could have handled that with less drama".
It's very easy to get complacent in this business. The pipeline is full during the busy summer months. We are running from one thing to the next. We aren't taking the best care of our business, health, etc because there are too many demands. Equally important is our ability to stop and take a look. Our Sugar Land, TX market tends to slow down a bit as school starts. This year, with the election from "you know where" pending, it seems to be slowing a bit more. And that is ok. It gives me time to really analyse where it all came from this year and direct my attention toward success.
I have always been of the mindset that "he with the most information wins". So, my intention is to move forward with what worked so far this year. I'm going to reach out to my best clients, maybe do something different this holiday season, become more active on social media, but most of all, learn something new. Look back, but move forward! Here is hoping that your 4th quarter 2016 is wildly successful!
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