More phone calls. More e-mail. Hopefully, more orders. You’re still wondering where summer went, when — bang! — you’re suddenly back to work at full speed.
Of course, as a business owner, there’s never a time when you’re completely away from work.
But with Labor Day gone, you must turn your full attention back to your business. Fall is one of the most important business seasons, so it’s critical you make the most of these next few months.
Good news! From September through early December, customers are ready to buy. Consumers come back from vacation determined to make changes — forking over money for home improvement, teeth whitening, education, and personal services. If you supply other businesses, they’re stocking their shelves for the Christmas holidays. And professional service clients are serious about starting projects.
Fall is a good time to make money. So get out there! Here’s how:
Step up your marketing. When wallets are open, make sure potential customers think of you. Now’s the time to advertise in your local newspaper, send direct mail, make those phone calls and customer visits. Send out an e-mail newsletter. Make sure your Web site information is up to date. Go to networking meetings.
Get in touch with current and past customers. The most likely source of new business is old customers. Even if they don’t need your products or services now, they’re the ones who will refer new customers to you. Make sure they remember you. Develop and maintain a contact management system so you can stay in touch with them regularly — at least four times a year.
Go to, or better yet exhibit at, trade shows and conferences. Fall is one of the busiest trade show seasons. We here at The Planning Shop find many of our customers at trade shows. There are trade shows and conferences for every industry — there’s almost certainly one attended by your target customers. To find a trade show, check the Web site of the Trade Show News Network, www.tsnn.com, or find a list of associations at my Web site, www.planningshop.com/associations.
Take care of your Christmas holiday business. If your business depends on holiday sales, it’s time for you to go to work with a vengeance. These next four months are absolutely critical to the survival of your company all year long. But you can’t wait until November to get going. Start selling and filling orders now!
Take care of your summer business. Phew! You just finished your busy season; you’re ready to relax and reward yourself. Don’t buy that flat panel TV just yet, even if it is football season. Start by putting money away in two accounts — a reserve account for slow months and a tax account, just for the IRS. Next, get a good contact management program and enter the info of all your summer customers. Make sure they hear from you now (“Thank you for your recent business”) and a few times over the next few months.
Develop an annual business plan and/or marketing plan. Fall’s a good time for planning — that is, if you’re not crazy busy with marketing and sales, filling orders, or exhibiting at trade shows. Get your staff (if you have one) out of the office or warehouse and think strategically about ways to grow your business and the steps you need to take. An annual business plan is a critical tool for business health.
Stay on top of suppliers. Fall isn’t only about selling; you’ve got to fill those orders too. But your suppliers are also extremely busy this time of year. So make sure you communicate with your suppliers regularly — and pay their bills on time!
I know it’s hard to get back to work when you still want to be on the beach, but fall’s the time to make the money so you can afford that resort vacation, so start selling!
Rhonda Abrams is the author of “Six-Week Start-Up” and “What Business Should I Start?”
