It’s been a hectic year, and the end is in sight, but there’s no time to down tools just yet.
Because when everyone else slows down, this is your opportunity to close the year strong and set up Q1 for success. So take this as a sign, that if you’re not pushing forward in December, you can bet your competition is.
So with that in mind, if I were in a high-growth phase of business right now, here’s what I’d do this month:
Financial Focus
- Chase all debtors – getting the money in now or ensuring you’ll get paid on the pre-Christmas run is critical
- Review 2024 P&L, prepare 2025 sales and cashflow forecast
- Analyse service line profitability
- Prepare VAT return
- Schedule pay run
Team Management
- Confirm holiday coverage schedule for critical client services
- Map Q1 capacity vs. projected client needs
- Schedule team strategy session for January goals
- Book annual reviews
Client Experience
- Review and update all retainer agreements – note the increase in charges with accounts to be implemented in January
- Confirm company closure and last order dates by Friday 13th.
- Send holiday schedule/emergency contact info by Friday 20th
- Book January strategy sessions with top clients
Strategic Planning
- Set revenue targets for 2025 and share Q1 targets with your management team
- Update service packages and pricing
- Identify 3 growth initiatives for Q1 and begin planning them
- Review and update this year’s marketing activities to make next year’s even better
The next 2 weeks will absolutely fly in and I know paying work always comes first, but there’s no denying that any attention put into planning and getting ahead of the competition is time well spent.
Drop me a message back if you need any help prioritising these tasks or if you want them broken down into more detail.
Have a great weekend and here’s to a strong finish to 2024.
Connor