Q4 needs a sales strategy. Here is a handy template.

Finish the year strong by focusing your sales strategy.

It’s fall. There is a new energy in the air and a flurry of events, conferences, meetings, and networking moments. It can be very easy to get pulled in many directions while not really making any forward advancement.

In this busy time, remember your most valuable commodity — Your time.

A good idea is to sit down and create a simple plan to focus your efforts. If you have a team, let everyone fill out their own version and then come together to create a unified plan. Don’t belabor it. Give everyone an hour or so to think it through over morning coffee.

One page is ideal. It keeps you focused.

Here is a template that offers an example of what that plan could look like.

It includes three things I find very important sometimes not in a strategy plan, but practical and good for sparking dialogue.

1. Who are we competing against: Many people often forget about the value of looking outward. It brings awesome perspective to your actions and your own positioning.
2. What to say no to: This could be anything — professional or personal that helps you be sharper, happier, and focused on the end of the year. For me… I say no to a lot of intros in Q4. I love intros & referrals, but I also like building relationships and that means I want to invest time. Time that I don’t have a lot of in the fall. I politely respond and schedule task reminders to follow up after the busy season. I also forgo happy hour meetings in favor of breakfasts — more sleep does wonders all around.
3. Three Tactics: This could be writing a thought piece, hosting an event, applying to speak at a conference, bringing in a consultant …. anything. But just pick three. You have a better chance to accomplish them when they feel manageable.

Happy planning! It’s a worthwhile exercise for any business owner or freelancer.

Download the PDF version of this template.

Lindsey lives & works in Dumbo, Brooklyn. She runs Sunday Dinner. A company that exists to help brand marketers & independent agencies uncover new ways to work together for today’s modern business. For brands, Sunday Dinner acts as an advisor and orchestrator helping brands break down silos & create new ways of working with talent brief by brief. For agencies, Sunday Dinner runs an agency growth & positioning workshop that gets creative teams in gear to be their most successful self.

And yes, there are dinners. Check them out here.