As we stand at the beginning of the last quarter of the year, one big thought comes to mind: 2019 is almost over already? They say time flies when you’re having fun, so if you, like us, feel that the year has flown by, hopefully it means you’ve had a fulfilling and successful 2019. If so, then it’s time to start thinking about how to close the year out on a high note. And that starts with taking the right approach to Q4.
What can you do now to ensure not only a successful Q4 2019, but a strong Q1 2020 as well?
Take a look back at the year – and your metrics
The start of Q4 marks the end of procrastination time. Anything you didn’t tackle from Q1 to Q3, you need to address in the next three months. Try to think of this not just as a challenge, but as an opportunity as well. Maybe you fell a bit shy of your quota in Q2, but you can still hit your yearly if you kick things into gear now. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking projections and run rates are gospel. Knock it out of the park this quarter, and make everyone forget about any underperformance earlier in the year. Take the time to prioritize your to-dos over the coming weeks and months. What account offers your biggest potential for a big win, and what to you have to do to unlock that win?
In some ways, the timing of this challenge may even be on your side. If you’re in B2B SaaS sales, you’re not the only one thinking about your Q4 goals – your prospects are too. They may have unused budget that they need to offload before the end of the year – especially if their company has a no-rollover budget policy – and your B2B solution might be the perfect thing to use it on.
Why Q4 is a good time to check in with your resume
Budgets change at the beginning of the year. Companies that have had a high-growth 2019 will need to scale their teams to keep the good times rolling – if their budgets increase, they’re that much more likely to spend some of it on new headcount. In other words: come 2020, there will be high-growth companies looking for talented professionals to fill your dream role. Q4 is the time to start polishing your resume and updating your portfolio to make sure you’re a strong contender for these opportunities.
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Plan for the holidays
Everyone loves the days off and the time with family that the holidays provide. That includes your prospects. If you’ve got an exciting marketing campaign planned, or a hot lead in the queue for a demo, try to act on those in the first two months of the quarter. Once Thanksgiving rolls around, it might be harder to get people to open your emails or pick up the phone until after the New Year. Chances are your board of directors won’t see the holidays as a reason to lower your quarterly goals to account for low lead yields and demos being pushed out. This means you’ll have to produce the same numbers, mostly front-loaded into October and November instead of spread over three months. Plan accordingly, so that the holidays can be the fun occasion they should be, instead of taking you by surprise and adding stress.
Stay mindful of these considerations, and you’ll be that much more likely to end the year strong. Here’s to a great Q4!