(Note: This post was initially published on LinkedIn, and the following iteration is a syndicated and updated version of the same.)
Time does fly when you’re running a small or medium-sized business. Where did the summer go?
Labor Day has passed and now we’re halfway through September and heading into the fourth quarter. Q4 can be a busy time of the year as companies hustle to meet year-end goals, including closing contracts.
It’s also the best time to begin planning for next year. So, take this time to focus on your strategic business goals and how to achieve them, such as finally taking control of your contracts.
Sometimes a simple checklist will suffice to ensure your team is working towards the same goal. There’s no shortage of experts offering Q4 planning tips.
But let’s set aside tips on rent, equipment, inventory, marketing, payroll, insurance, and taxes for now.
We offer up just two Q4 questions for small business:
• One, have you met your business goals?
• Two, do you have to make a change for your business to succeed?
In determining whether their companies are ready for 2024, small business owners tell us their chief concern is, not surprisingly, contracts.
Limited resources mean bottlenecks, missed deadlines, lost data, omitted terms, duplicated effort, non-compliance with regulations, and contracts in disarray. Or worse.
If you take control of your contracts in Q4 with support that’s professional and affordable, then 2024 begins to look promising, right? Goals met. Revenue achieved. And that might give you time to spend on other ways to make 2024 a success.
