We’re digging into something incredibly crucial for all you wellness coaches out there – planning and promotion for the fourth quarter of your coaching business. Yes, I know it is the beginning of August, and hear me out. Typically the fourth quarter is the best quarter for selling. Whether we want to believe it or not, the final stretch of the year is upon us, and with kids heading back to school, it’s the perfect time to focus on building up your business.
So, grab a cup of coffee or your favorite drink, get comfy, and get to it.
Why Year End Planning is Essential
Yes, I know. We're only one month into the third quarter, and this time of year is essential for any online business, especially for you, my wellness coach friends. Before you know it, you'll be kicking off with all your new coaching clients in January. Taking a few hours each quarter to review and plan for the upcoming months is essential. Why? Because what you focus on improves.
I'm not sure about you, but things do not get done if I do not block time on my calendar. Start by scheduling time on your calendar for this year end planning session. I know not everybody loves to sit down and plan, but trust me, it's so worth it for your decision fatigue and for your business. Block off at least two hours, ideally on your CEO day or whenever it actually works for you. You want to review the fourth quarter from last year and set your new goals for the upcoming fourth quarter.
Setting the Tone for Year End Planning
Before you dive into your year end planning, set the tone to really get you in the right mindset.
Grab your coffee, water, wine, or essential oils if you have a diffuser. If that's your thing, let's begin with a meditation to really get you focused. Turn off all the distractions. Yes, this means notifications are off, the phone is in do not disturb, and close all those extra browser tabs. You know what I mean, right?
Personally, I love to pop in my earbuds and play some brown noise on my Insight Timer App. It helps me drown out all the distractions so that I can focus. I really need that in order to really get in and focus and be able to get things done in a shorter amount of time because we all want to get things done in a shorter amount of time. Am I right?
Reflect and Review
Once you have your year end planning day set and you're ready to go, the first thing you need to do is reflect on the current year. How is it going for you? Are you in line to reach your financial goals? If that makes you feel a little bit squeamish because you struggle to focus on money, think about your impact goals instead. How many people were you planning to work with this year? Are you close to hitting that target?
Pull out your quarterly review from the fourth quarter of last year. I'm guessing a lot has changed in your business over the last three quarters. However, it's a good base for year end planning. What worked well? What didn’t? Did you hit your goals? If not, why? This reflection is crucial to moving forward effectively. Take five to ten minutes to jot down your thoughts. I'm not expecting you to spend a whole lot of time and energy on this, but I just want you to get all your thoughts out on paper. Anything that comes to mind regarding last year's success or learning lessons?
Revisit Your Vision
Next, revisit your vision for this year. Personally, I do this monthly. I like to have a new splash on my desktop with my goals for the month and my vision for the year. If you haven't looked at your vision since the beginning of the year, does it still align with where you are now? If not, adjust it. Write out your three-year goal, so you know where you're going and where you want to be in three years. Then use that for your one-year vision to ensure alignment. Focus on just the last 90 days of this year. What do you want to achieve in this time? Make sure your quarterly goals align with your one-year vision. This alignment ensures that every step you take is pushing your business forward in the right direction.
Set Concrete Goals
Now, let’s set some concrete goals for the last quarter. Ensure these goals will impact your one-year vision. Break down those goals into actionable steps—who, what, when, and if needed, a little bit of how. Remember, commitment is key. Are you willing to devote two hours a day to these goals? If not, reconsider their importance. Map out important dates on your calendar: out-of-office days, kid events, holidays, and launch dates—all need to be accounted for. Reverse engineer your goals from these dates.
Prepare for Black Friday
Let's talk a little bit about Black Friday. Do you have a plan? If not, don't worry. You're not alone. Many small businesses find themselves either winging it or scrambling at the last minute. But today, we're changing that. Because it's August and we're looking at our Black Friday specials, we want to start by setting a revenue goal. Look at your numbers from last year and set your good, better, and best goals for this year. Determine your budget for ads if that's your jam and set a dollar amount that is reasonable.
Do you need to hire any additional help to make this year end plan come to life? You may need to budget time for a virtual assistant. Decide what you’ll be promoting at the end of the year. Will it be group coaching for January or one-on-one coaching packages? Plan your mini-offer or low-ticket offer for Black Friday that flows into your high-ticket offer.
Create Your Action Plan
Then create your action plan to get it all done. Action drives everything. You need your landing page, email sequences, shopping carts, onboarding process—the works. This preparation will make your Black Friday promotion and end-of-the-year promotions run smoothly and successfully. If you need help, I have just the low-ticket offer for you, a Black Friday Google Project Plan done for you. https://misstask.com/black-friday-project-plan
Time To Wrap This Up:
So there you have it—a quick start guide to year end planning your fourth quarter and gearing up for Black Friday. Remember, consistency is key, and taking the time to plan now will pay off in the busy months ahead. Focus on building your email list with a valuable freebie and keeping your audience engaged. You've got this, coach. Keep your mind, body, and spirit healthy, and let’s make this fourth quarter the best one yet.
Thank you so much for your support, I appreciate you and hope you make it a wonderful week!
