Living in the Midwest means that we have to adopt to seasonal change 4 or  more times per year.  I say 4 or more, because our climate can go back and forth between seasons on an ongoing basis.  Yesterday the temperature reached 60 degrees in our area.  The forecast for next week is projecting temperatures in the mid-40’s.  Snow is in the forecast also.

How is this relevant to business?  With seasonal change comes a shift in both consumer and business behavior.  This is the time to review the current years business performance.  This is also the time of year to begin serious conversations about what direction you want your business to go in 2011.  I’m amazed that many business owners do little strategic planning or wait until they are well into the new year before they start to think about their operational performance and sales strategies for the year ahead.

Now is the time to review your business performance.  Now is the time to begin scheduling meetings with your key business advisors to start the planning process for next year.  You’ll appreciate it, your staff will appreciate it and most important of all, your customers will appreciate the clarity and operational alignment of your business when they arrive to do business with you.