Personal Mid-Year Review: How to Finish the Year Strong

The end of 2018 is quickly approaching and what do you and your company have to show for it? Have you met the goals you’ve aimed to achieve? Have you improved your branding efforts throughout the year? And, have you made the changes needed to make a significant difference both internally and to your client base?

Finish the year strong by performing a mid-year review and challenging your company to end on a high note. Take inspiration from The Weekender to see how you can incorporate the work-life balance necessary to succeed. Get the creative juices flowing and have everyone motivated throughout the remaining months of the year.

October – Make Time to Play

Make time for play to increase productivity and boost company morale.

All work and no play can make for some very disgruntled employees. Disgruntled employees typically translate into slips in productivity and progress. Make time at work for play. This can be anything from a creative brainstorming session with snacks and conversation to out-of-the-office team building events.

By making time to incorporate a little fun and lightheartedness into the workplace, you can increase employee satisfaction, which in turn, will benefit your company. Although it varies by level of position, the cost to replace an employee averages to about 6 to 9 months’ salary. Isn’t it worth it to keep good employees rather than trying to train new ones?

November – Do Something New

Create innovations for connecting with customers that will encourage more loyalty to strengthen your brand.

One of the biggest competitive advantages any company has is their unique value proposition. Decide what makes your company uniquely you. If you’ve spent the year going through the motions of tried-and-true, now is the time for innovation. Customize the way you are promoting your products and selling your services. According to Pew Research, majority of adult, American consumers say they are more comfortable using familiar products and brands.

What new thing(s) will you introduce in these last months that will carry over into the new year and put your brand on the forefront of people’s brains (and purchasing decisions)? Think about hosting an educational workshop, creating a loyalty program, or event that focuses on the needs/wants of your audience.

December – Reconnect

Personalize your messaging to make real connections with your customers.

The purpose of any business initiative should be connecting with customers. Make sure your mid-year resolutions reflect changes you want to make to ensure this happens. Reconnect with loyal customers by sending them a personalized calendar that will help them plan out their next year. Add your own customized touch with a company newsletter, handwritten note, gift basket, or holiday card. Alert them to upcoming specials, deals, and/or new products on a monthly basis to give them a reason to stay engaged with your brand.

End of Year Inspiration

While the last months of the year are typically focused on generating revenue and hitting quarterly goals, it should also be used as a time to reflect on the successes and setbacks you’ve experienced throughout the year. Set up some time for a yearly review to gather feedback from both customers and employees to freely share what processes were successful and which more challenging. Were there any steps that were missed? What took longer than expected? Most importantly, did you discover opportunities that you didn’t see before?

By planning ahead and disposing of old methods that don’t work, you’ll finish the year strong and be ahead of the game come January 1st, feeling rejuvenated and ready to go.