I’m sure you’re aware that we are counting down to the end of 2017. Sure there is still time to pull through some new business and perhaps up-sell some of your existing clients but for the most part things will start winding down soon enough.

By now you should be able to assess whether or not you will be meeting the goals that you set for yourself back at the start of the year. If you’re going to meet or exceed them give yourself a high five; if you’ve fallen short then take a close look at what you did or didn’t do with an eye towards what you can do differently in the upcoming year.

In my opinion this is the very best time to start to make your plans for the upcoming year when 2017 is still in your headlights and you are fully aware of the things you did that DIDN’T WORK.

1. Quantify the business you had this year. What was profitable; what was not.

2. Evaluate how you got that business. Did it come in through marketing, social media, a referral; in other words, what tactics should you continue; what should you stop.

3. Establish your revenue goal for 2018.

4. Establish your action plan to accomplish that goal.

You should do a monthly assessment and analyze your results. If anything has to be re-engineered it’s best to do it before too much time has elapsed.

But remember to start now so that you can hit the ground running in January. Waiting until Q1 to start doing your sales plan means that you might find yourself running to catch up and that’s not a good way to start the New Year.