Countdown to Success: Plan for a Strong Next Year Now

Business works much the same way. 

Take recruiting. If you wait to recruit until you need somebody, you’re going to be in a tight spot. If you haven’t been having warm conversations, interacting in the community, or getting your name out there and building a reputation that makes people want to get to know you, starting to recruit when you need someone right away is like starting from scratch, with empty shelves. 

The same is true when you hope you’ll have enough leads without a marketing strategy in place. It’s hoping your call center and technicians know how to convert when you haven’t been training them. 

Even if you’ve been disciplined—if things have been going well for a couple of years—you can’t step away from the habits that brought you those results. 

You can’t just drop everything you’ve been doing, go shopping on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, and wing it. 

In business, you need to be planning for what’s next, all the time. You need a countdown window. 

Six months before the start of your fiscal year is the latest I would begin. Throughout the year, there are factors you should be watching and learning from, such as marketing and talent acquisition. Those areas should be constantly addressed and improved. That way, as you start looking at your plan for next year, you’ll already have a trajectory and a trend line that helps you understand what you’re likely to need down the line. 

Of course, having a plan is one thing. Staying focused on it while managing the day-to-day demands of the business is another. 

I often hear comments about how difficult it is to keep a business focused on long-term goals while still managing the day-to-day challenges that constantly demand attention. The solution to this problem, however, is simple: Plan time. 

I don’t want anyone to feel like I’m suggesting they do something extra or different during the year. I’m not. Planning is part of running a healthy business. You make time for it the same way you make time for everything else that matters. 

First, involve the leaders of each department. Of course, you want to involve the head of finance. In our businesses, planning frequently includes service line managers, the finance team, and call center representation. 

Once you know who needs to be involved and you know you’re going to start at least six months out, I encourage you to schedule time well in advance. Set aside at least a half day—if not a full day—to go offsite with those leaders to begin the preparation process. 

From there, schedule follow-up dates to revise the plan and continue the conversation. Traditionally, a budget is not completed in a single day. If you take a one-day approach, make sure you pre-schedule follow-up meetings with your team. Use that meeting time to learn what they’ve discovered, review action items from each department, and continue building the budget together. 

Just as the best holiday meals are planned meticulously in advance, the strongest business plans are built over time by leaders who stay engaged, pay attention to trends, and remain committed to the habits that drive success. If you want a strong next year, the time to start planning is now.