December 31, 2012 is just 10 short weeks away from today.  Wow…  how did that happen?  Like many of my friends and clients, I am starting the annual ritual of reflecting on what took place over the last 10 months. With the end of the year facing me, I always want to complete the year on a strong note, checking off some of those proverbial “boxes” along the way. So where to begin? Here are a few suggestions for making the most of these last ten Mondays:

• Review your marketing plan. Establish what you have accomplished and what is left on your plan.  Trust me on this one, but no one has accomplished their entire marketing plan!  There is always more to be done, but take a moment to be pleased with your progress.
• Prioritize your goals for the last ten weeks.  You can’t take on too much in this timeframe.  Select one or two priorities and create an actionable plan for working towards those goals.
• Book ten, thirty minute time slots in your calendar, one each week. Spend those precious minutes on forwarding your marketing and business development plans. Do not reschedule these ‘meetings’ with yourself.  Make them a priority!
• Review your contacts list; make sure it is up to date and get it ready to use.
• Reach out to one or two of your contacts each week. Email or call specific individuals to see how they are doing, ask about their  year and offer helpful information.
• Decide on how you will reach out to your contacts this holiday season. Do you have an annual holiday message?  Start writing it now. Make a date on your calendar for sending out your communication.
• Revise your current marketing plan and position yourself to take action in 2013. Confirm your goals and break them down into simple steps that unfold over time.
• If you haven’t been using social media yet, start now. If you consistently use this tool now, by the end of the year you will have created a habit in time for the new year.

When you review your marketing plan from 2012, embrace your success and expand upon it for 2013. If you  haven’t made the splash you hoped to achieve last January, recognize that it isn’t too late to make an impact. Choose to make the most of these last few months of 2012. Ten weeks is plenty of time to set yourself in motion.  Make a solid effort to consistently reach out to your contacts and maintain important relationships. Most importantly, be sincere in every connect you make. No doubt, you will see your successes lined up when you review your progress in January.  Good luck!