It's the end of the year, and for business owners, that means one of two things.

If you're in retail, this is your busiest time of year.  But if you're a service provider, chances are things are slowing down.  Your clients and patients tend to be focused on the holidays and family and winding things up, not starting something new or concentrating too hard on achieving results.    

So, what do you do during this slow time?  Let's look at two different approaches and see if you recognize yourself.

Jane looks at the calendar and knows nothing much is going to be happening for the next few weeks.  Any kind of marketing and promotion she's ever tried to do in November and December has generated lousy results amidst the blizzard of holiday advertising that's competing for people's attention.  

Networking meetings are poorly attended if the meetings are scheduled at all.  Forget trying to book speaking engagements around Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Most organizations are having their holiday parties during that time, and attendance at regular meetings tends to be very light.  

And it really doesn't even make sense to follow up too aggressively with people who you've established a relationship with.  Most prospective clients just aren't going to want to start till the beginning of the new year.  

It's been a busy year and kind of a hard year, so Jane decides to kick back a little and chill along with everybody else and get back into gear come January.

Laura looks at the calendar and she sees the same thing.  Why buck the tide?  She's going to take some time to visit with her clients and referral partners and just relax with friends and family and enjoy some holiday fun.  But Laura also has a plan. 

She intends to get a running start on the new year, so she schedules some time to do several things.

She's going to revisit her mission, goals, and strategic plan to make sure she's on track, make any needed adjustments, and brainstorm new possibilities.  And while she's at it, she'll spend some time visioning how she wants 2011 to turn out.

She intends to come up with a new program offering that perfectly complements what's she's currently providing.

She plans to create a compelling offer she'll make to all existing and prospective clients in the first week of January.

And she's going to get those *$%# files straightened out that have been driving her crazy.

So, who do you think is going to have the advantage come the beginning of the year?

That's not exactly a brain teaser.

We see so many people who just coast into the end of the year and miss the chance to come into the new year with a fresh energy, something new to offer, and some much-needed momentum.

You don't have to deny yourself.  You don't have to kill yourself.  But if you'll do a little strategic thinking and some creative work when it's kind of quiet at year-end, it'll pay off in spades during the coming year.

Best Regards,
Barbara