Run The Race

Run The Race, Flikr, 2011Labor Day is certainly an opportunity to rest and reflect on the work completed so far this year.  For many of us, we barely catch our breath before turning the page and looking square at the last third of the year.

Now that Summer is essentially over and Fall is upon us, for many of us, it is a great time to look forward.  September 2nd – still plenty of time to make changes, put new plans into action, and make an impact on this year.  Plenty of time to do something, but maybe not to do a lot of things. The benefit of focus can help here.

So, what should you do? Here are three (3) suggestions to help you get the most out of your effort before the last few months pass you by:

1) Invest in new promotional efforts.  Your customers have just finished treating all the back-to-school kiddos and they are looking the end of the year square in the eye too.  An intentional sales push at this point could generate some new year-end business and set you up for profitable New Year.  Generate a list of existing customers who don’t give you all their busines, former customers, and doctors you would like to have as customers. Call them and see if you could meet with them to talk about how you could help them better meet the needs of their customers.  You might even consider generating a mailer with a trial promotion or discount and then follow up on these mailings with a call.

2) Investigate new technology.  Could an investment in new technology increase your productivity, improve your marketing, allow you to offer new products to your customers, or reduce your costs?  Some areas to consider: a) How’s your website doing? Do you have one? Why not enter the New Year with a new website – plenty of time to get that launched this year, b) Have you investigated the benefits of full-contour Zirconia crowns. The quality of this product could allow you to deliver more restoratives in less time by outsourcing to a quality milling center.  (Our sponsor AMS Dental Technologies could answer your questions about this option).  c) Could a new phone system or new computers, or new accounting software improve your efficiencies?

3) Develop a new strategic plan. Establishing a more formal strategic planning process and developing key objectives for the next phase in your business cycle is a highly valuable exercise. Many small business owners tend to have a general idea about what they want to accomplish, but haven’t take the time to write-it-down, set goals, or share these goals with someone else.  You should do all three!!  There is great power in writing down your goals and verbally sharing these with another person.

My suggestion: Pick one of these and follow thru with it.  On December 31st when you look back on the year, the steps you take now could be the most powerful ones you take this year.  Make the most of your time!