THREE WAYS TO AVOID THE FOURTH QUARTER PANIC
Smell that? No, not the sweet aroma of pumpkin spice lattes or the earthy scent of falling leaves. No, that’s the smell of the fourth quarter. It’s here.
As your team starts to question the very nature of time (How is it October already?), but before minds drift off into holiday season (I can’t believe it’s almost Thanksgiving!), it’s time to buckle down on your 2018 goals. Don’t panic! This isn’t as tough as it sounds.
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REVISIT THE PLAN.
Remember The Plan? You worked so hard on The Plan back in January! Time to pull it out, dust it off, and take inventory of how things have been going. You’ll probably be pleasantly surprised to find out that you’ve been working toward your goals all year long – but, if you’re not, there’s still time. Take note of your goals and see how you stack up to date. Is the gap doable in the next three months? Or, if you have already hit your goals, consider setting some stretch metrics to see if you can really go above and beyond in the fourth quarter.
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REEVALUATE IF NEEDED.
Has the plan gone awry? Don’t worry, it happens. Maybe that second quarter product launch got delayed, or the September trade show got canceled due to weather. Once you know how you stack up so far, you can work on revising parts of the plan if needed. Remove the goals for campaigns that were cancelled or postponed, and brainstorm how you can fill the gap. Revisit a launch from earlier this year that didn’t get quite the traction you had hoped or plan a holiday social media campaign to engage your followers as we head into the new year. Most importantly, write down what worked and what didn’t so you remember and plan accordingly when January rolls around.
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RECOMMIT TO GOALS.
Once you remember the plan and evaluate what’s reasonable, commit to a few key metrics to hit by the end of the year. If you’ve already reached your coverage goals – great! Focus on social media or process goals. Maybe you’ve refined your reporting process but haven’t filled the pipeline with media opportunities – now you know where to spend your time for the rest of the year. A fourth quarter social media audit can be a great way to check in on your strategy and progress, while setting you up for success in 2019.
Need help wrapping up your 2018 goals? Contact your friendly neighborhood PR experts at Largemouth!