How To Use Your Time In December Effectively

Do you take lots of time off in December because your clients do? I have heard from many people who are taking at least a few weeks (sometimes the whole month of December) off. Their clients are not doing much business in December, they say, so why should we work?

If you want to have a productive next year and stay ahead of your competition, take the time that you have in December and use it to get ahead. Here is how:

- Review Everything You Have Done This Year -- have you accomplished all of your goals? If not, decide if you want to roll these goals over to the next year.

Have some marketing techniques worked better than others? Now is the time to calculate the ROI (return on investment) for marketing techniques you have been using. Once you do that, you will be able to decide which ones to use next year and which ones to leave behind.

Has something worked spectacularly well this year? Did you get an article published on a certain web site and get lots of newsletter subscribers as a result? Did you get clients from a talk you did? Or did you get a few clients from your blog this year?

If something has worked, look into how to do more of the same. Marketing is not about inventing a new marketing technique every time. It is about finding out what works and doing more of it.

- Create New Passive Income Streams. Did you want to write an e-book and create a teleseminar, but could not find the time to do them during the year because of all the client work? Now is the perfect time to put them together for more passive income in 2008.

If you are writing an e-book, start by finding a topic and writing an outline. Once you have an outline, write the e-book, one chapter at a time. Once your e-book is done have it proofread and decide on a format to sell it in.

If you are creating a teleseminar, start by finding a topic and creating your talking points. Once you have that, you can create additional materials that your participants will receive, including a workbook, notes, resources, etc. Once you have that done, do research on bridge lines and recording equipment to decide which ones to use for your teleseminar.

- Take enough time to create a brand new marketing plan for next year. A good marketing plan asks you to rethink different marketing aspects of your business -- your target market, your goals, your marketing techniques, your pricing and much more.

Be ready with your marketing plan by December 20th. That way you can start making your business more successful as soon as the new year starts. Doing this will help you start the year right, and reach your goals much faster. A good marketing plan will help you get more clients, sell more products and create an extremely successful business.

About the author: Biana Babinsky is the online business expert who teaches coaches, consultants, virtual assistants and other service professionals how to get clients online. Learn how to get more customers at Biana's Online Business Mentoring Program at http://www.MarketingSalad.com