Past Issues/Subscribe | Advertise | pmpi.org December 2014

Surviving the 4th Quarter – Keeping Your Cool During the Holiday Season

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By Shawn Pearson, Principal Consultant and Founder at Pearson & Associates
shawn@pearson-concepts.com 

Saying the final quarter is upon us would be an understatement. Not only is it upon us, it’s happening right now. We are just days away from a new year. With Thanksgiving, Christmas, holiday functions, departmental goals and revenue goals, it’s easy to lose your bearings.


It’s during this season that your stress level increases 10 times over. Keeping a level head by finding ways to minimize stress is vital to having a successful final quarter. Here are just a few steps that can be taken that will help get through the next few weeks:


Audit. Review your professional and departmental goals. Its bonus season and you want to ensure you have made good on your deliverables.


Follow up on prospects. Make you final push to obtain additional revenue. Being mindful of your schedule, pencil in a few calls a day. Send e-blasts and check in on your prospects from early in the year.


Mail holiday cards. Ideally your holiday cards can be mailed any time after Thanksgiving, but no later than the second week in December.


RSVP. Double check your calendar prior to saying yes to an invite. You are sure to receive countless invitations for holiday events. Be careful not to over commit.


Extend an invitation. Invite your client to accompany you to a holiday event. This is a great opportunity to build your relationship. (Be sure to check with your event host, so she knows you have a plus one).


Plan your wardrobe. Wear dress attire that can easily go from day to night. Save yourself the hassle of running home to change.  


Be a team player. Now is the perfect time to put your team player skills to use. Your colleagues are as equally stressed as you, helping out whenever possible is sure to be a win win for all.  


Enjoy family and friends. Catch up with family and friends over the holiday season. Meet a friend for coffee, schedule movie night, or sit down and share old memories. Whatever you do make time to enjoy the ones you love.



Shawn is a professional meeting planner and motivational speaker. She is the owner of Pearson & Associates a full-service event planning firm. She is passionate about serving others through her work. "After all the work is done, I love seeing the finished product. Witnessing how everything comes together motivates me to turn around and do it all over again."


 
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