Summer is here!
The last few summers have been unusual, but the summer of 2022 is stacking up to be a beacon of “normalcy” and a return to what most Americans have grown to love and identify as typical summer affairs. Traveling, vacationing, fairs, family barbeques, and big gatherings are back on the calendar for many.
While summer is hailed as a time to slow down, relax, and reap the rewards of hard work put in throughout the rest of the year, it is also a good time to sit down and reflect on what you’d like to see happen in the remainder of the year. Before you know it, summer will be over and you will be entrenched in fall activities and preparing for 2023. Planning for success is a key component to achieving your goals and maximizing your growth potential. That is why I’d like to remind you of these three important planning activities that top advisors are committing to this time of year.
- Develop your foundational marketing and service activities calendar for the fall and beyond.
The end of the year will be here before you know it. Your calendar should have consistent and effective marketing and service activities. A foundational annual activity calendar is essential for all top practices. It includes the two crucial elements of a comprehensive calendar of meaningful activity: client service-oriented elements and prospecting/marketing elements.
When selecting these core activities for your plan, at a minimum, you should include:
- Client meetings;
- Quarterly economic update reports;
- Meaningful and timely monthly articles;
- Client educational events (virtual and in-person);
- Client appreciation events;
- Growth initiative activities.
- Start systemizing your office now to be more scalable.
Everything in your office should be systematized to maximize efficiency. Setting up Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all tasks helps eliminate lag time, questions on what and how to do a task, and inconsistencies or mistakes.
Use this valuable summertime to develop procedures so that when you move into busier seasons you are able to focus on your number one objective: meeting with clients and prospects!
- Determine what additional improvements you would like to make for both personal and professional growth.
Each summer, we help our coaching members determine how they are going to grow professionally and personally during the next year. Unfortunately, many advisors save these ideas for their “New Year’s Resolutions.” By that time, it is too late to properly plan and fully implement their goals. Also, many advisors get sold “fool’s gold” ideas that take time and produce NO results. Building a top practice requires the right direction, not a sales pitch. Waiting until year-end or the holiday season is not the best strategy for introspective thoughts. During that time of year, most practices and advisors are very busy and could also be preoccupied with personal priorities. That can lead to impulsive or bad decisions. The more leisurely summer months are better suited for dedicated time to strategize.
For example, let’s say you want to commit to a more disciplined exercise program. Now is the time to think about building a schedule that allows you the time to follow that commitment.
Another example is you may want to sign up for a tax planning course. Now is the time to schedule that into your calendar so you and your office are aware of your commitment and reservation of time to achieve this goal.
By committing now, you give yourself the time to both mentally and physically adjust your calendar. That will make you more likely to stay committed to accomplishing your goals and not let them go by the wayside.
Remember, procrastination is a killer of progress!
I talked with an advisor who is thinking about joining the other 300+ practices in our Academy. He realized the value but regrettably said, “have someone call me at the end of December”. This thought process is probably why, unlike our members, he is not having his best year. Make your summertime productive by taking stock of what you have accomplished in the first half of the year and determining what you want to accomplish in the following 12 months. While you have the time, take the opportunity to create your plan of action to make the next 12-18 months strong, active, and fruitful for your practice and yourself.