I spent much of this past weekend outdoors in my garden. (I offer
apologies to any of you snow-bound folks out there, but I live in
Los Angeles!) After much grumbling and procrastination, I’ve
started the tedious and laborious task of prepping my hillside for
spring plantings. February has barely begun, but I need to get
started now on the hard work that will hopefully bring me much
enjoyment throughout the coming year. This type of project, while
not very glamorous or exciting, is just as necessary for your
business. The cruise wave season will soon be winding to a close,
and the onslaught of families planning summer vacations has not yet
begun. What better time to do some prep work of your own?
If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to start
planting the seeds that will make your business grow. Take this
opportunity to cultivate earnings potential in your office. Create
a clear business plan that will help move your agency forward, and
set concrete, corresponding goals in order to keep tabs on your
progress. This will provide a commitment to do more than just
passively accept business.
Scour your client lists to make sure you are not overlooking a
potential sale. Consider the creation of a referral program. By
offering incentives for referrals, you keep existing clients happy
while expanding your base. Perhaps this would be the time to catch
up on promotional mailings or soup up your website. And take stock
of your place in the market: Should you be specializing or
diversifying?
Take the time to do the hard work now, and you are sure to reap
the rewards of what you have sown!
