12 Ways To Prepare Your Business For The Silly Season & 2024
It’s November and it will be Christmas and the end of the year before you know it! So here are 12 ways you can help prepare your business for the craziness of the end of the year to ensure a smooth and successful transition into 2024.
1. Work On Your Business
Block out at least two hours each week leading up to Christmas in your diary to dedicate to working ON your business (and turn OFF your notifications!)
There are so many opportunities out there, make sure you are best positioned to protect what you have while grabbing onto those opportunities that will take you and your business further
Keep in mind you not only need to block time out, but you also actually need to take and use that time! Make it one of your gifts for your business to help it have a great 2024.
2. Get Ready To Detox
It's time to clean out your inbox - the physical and digital.
Too much around you can distract you from the essential or urgent.
CHEAT way: if what you're sorting out doesn’t fit in one of your existing folders, then why not set up a Marketing Ideas folder, a Business Inspiration folder, and a Weekly Reading folder? If an email then doesn’t fit in any of these, then it’s time to delete it and move on.
3. Book In A Discovery Call
Book your spot for a no-obligation free initial chat with our experts as a Christmas gift to you.
This call will help you find out your potential opportunities and how to take them up to grow strong - without the growing pains.
4. Organise & Check Expectations
Make sure everyone knows return dates and holiday expectations, from employees to clients and suppliers. Give advance notice and ensure you have updated all messages and contacts, i.e. emails, phone, website and Google.
Also, do a double check to ensure you don’t have any contract obligations or deadlines that could fall due during that time and a process to still have your holiday but anything urgent or unexpected doesn’t fall between the cracks.
If you haven’t already, then put a heads-up in your email signature for updated hours and contacts, as well website and Google update.
5. Review Your Vision & Strategy
Block out ½ - 1 day in your diary and turn off notifications to purely focus on reviewing your Vision and Strategy. Are they clearly set out, understood, and consistent? Is there buy-in by you and those who work with you? Is the chosen strategy working?
When doing this, ask yourself about your top projects for the upcoming year, and ensure they are aligned with your vision. Then, explore what the strategy is to get there, put it down in writing and share with your team.
6. Review Your IP
Get out your Intellectual Property Register and look at all the lovely Intellectual Property you own and have protected.
Doing this, in addition to giving you a clear document that sets out what makes up your assets (investors and potential buyers love this), enables you to proactively get ahead of any potential ownership/consent dispute that could risk or devalue your business and make it less attractive to investors and buyers. It also can highlight any extra steps you should be taking to protect and add extra value.
Also, just a few reminders for those who need it, business registration does not protect your brand and name and just because someone does something for you, even if you have actually paid them for it, does not mean that the IP they create becomes your sole property.
7. Review Your Results
Review the results you’ve had this year.
Use your time to jot down some notes of what made the positive results happen and how this can be used again in 2024. Additionally, write down your learnings and some plans of how to not repeat any mistakes.
8. Celebrate With Your Team
Make a date to catch up with your team and those who have supported and encouraged you this year. If you can’t meet in person, then maybe a Christmas drinks and nibbles via Zoom is in order.
Spread some Christmas cheer together, as well as seek feedback so you can continue to work together successfully in 2024.
9. Check Your Cyber Protection
Is your IT cyber-protected before Christmas? What is your IT plan? Is it sufficient to ensure your business and you are protected? What’s the process and who is on call during the Christmas break if needed?
After all the recent issues businesses have faced with hacking – it is essential that you look at this now and ensure your safety during this period and beyond.
10. Check Your Legal Health
We try to look after our own health by eating right and exercising (maybe not as much during the “silly season”), but what about the health of our business?
Do the Legal Health Check Quiz and get a free report to better understand your business and the factors that can impact success or disaster. Head to our website to take our free quiz today and get a report to help support your journey to stellar health and opportunities!
11. Show Your Appreciation
Say thanks! Everyone always loves to know they are appreciated and valued – whether it is your team, suppliers, clients, mentors, and friends.
Saying a meaningful thank you and showing gratitude for the impact people have made on your life is an important part of this season.
12. Wisen Up
It's almost time for the holiday, and how are you going to spend it?
Rest, recover and recuperate - but if you want to use this time to upscale your business, Download one of the many free business guides from our website and read up.
For more information on this area or to ensure you and your business are both protected with strong foundations for growth and transition ready, get in contact for a free no obligation Discovery Call on how we can assist you in achieving your goals.
Please note that this is a general and brief update, it does not purport to be comprehensive legal advice of all information and/or relevant to your circumstances. Consequently, specific legal advice for each of your circumstances should be obtained first before taking or not taking any action with respect to this area.