With the upcoming excitement of Christmas, it can be easy to lose sight of January and February.
This means that when January does come round, it can feel like a wash-out with a slow return to full productivity. That is, unless you’ve invested time in November and December planning and setting up your activities.
Proactively getting ahead of yourself puts your business in a stronger position come the New Year. And that in turn makes it easier to attract new clients and increase your revenue.
The trouble is of course that not only are you busy, but your team is too. As well as their day jobs, there’s Christmas shopping, numerous school events and festive celebrations to enjoy. No wonder so many businesses end up deprioritising essential work until the New Year.
That’s why November and December are the perfect time to get your virtual assistant working on things that will make your January feel like a breeze.
Get your diary under control…
Let’s start with an easy one. Chances are you have a series of recurring meetings year in, year out. You’ll also have bigger, more important meetings to book in at some point. Get your VA to book them in now, before anyone has the chance to book holidays or other meetings in their place. Even if you don’t have the full details, booking in a ‘save the date’ will show you mean business and start things moving in the right direction.
December is also a good time to get ahead of yourself on New Year’s resolutions. For example, how about keeping an hour to yourself each day to work without interruptions? Or booking one day off a month to pursue a hobby? Your VA can block your calendar and automatically start declining invites now, giving you a chance to start next year with a clearer head.
…And sort out your travel too
While we’re on the topic, if you know you’ve got meetings which involve travel, it pays to book in advance. Not only will this give you the best option of train or flight times and hotels, but you’ll also get a better deal. And who doesn’t like a better deal?
Take control of your recruitment
Know you’re going to need to recruit in the new year? Get your VA to take charge of the prep now by drafting job ads and refining or creating job descriptions. With a professional HR consultant on the Expert VA Services team, you can be sure those ads and job descriptions will be effective and compliant. This way you can put your ads out at the start of January, ready to pick up the best talent going.
Realistically speaking, there’s also a chance some of your staff may hand in their notice in January. That’s why getting your VA to draft some back-up job ads is a wise decision. This way you can start recruiting the moment someone resigns, reducing the chance of a gaping hole in your team.
Prep that sales or marketing campaign
Don’t wait until January to brief your next campaign. Get your VA started on it now. From lining up an agency or freelancer to booking in advertising space, the sooner the better. After all, the sooner you can start working on your campaigns, the sooner they can go live. And the sooner they go live? The sooner the money starts rolling in!
Get going with your research
There’s no such thing as too much research! Get your VA on the case, and you’ll be ready to review your learnings and start putting them into action for even better results next year.
Your VA can interview past clients for their feedback or compile questionnaires using an online form builder. If you want some more specialist research, then your VA can investigate suitable providers and scope out your project with them on your behalf.
Plan your big events
The sky is grey, the trees are bare. Your annual summer roadshow is the last thing on your mind. However, start building a plan now, and you’ll be in a far better position by the time it comes to making bookings and creating materials. Get your VA on the case. They can scope out a preliminary timing plan and set up meetings with potential suppliers, helping you get ahead of the curve ready to create a more cost-effective and successful event.
Onboard a new Virtual Assistant
Not got a VA on your team yet? Then now’s the perfect time to make the change. Clients who join Expert VA Services in December get access to a special festive offer. Instead of the standard 10-hour minimum commitment, you’ll get a reduced minimum commitment of 5 hours during December. It’s the perfect amount of time to get your new VA up to speed with your business, so they’re ready to hit the ground running in January.
Want to know more about our December deal? Get in touch
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