As December arrives, small business owners often hear the familiar refrain, “Let’s tackle that in the new year.” While the days leading up to January 2nd might seem like a time to wind down, this period offers a unique opportunity to rest and get ahead. We, The Bass Sisters, plan to Power Up rather than coast through the holiday season. Here are three practical steps to keep your momentum going without sacrificing the joy of the season.
1. Conduct a Digital Assets Audit
Your website is the digital front door to your business. Now is the perfect time to audit your online presence. When was the last time you checked every page? Updates throughout the year may have left broken links, outdated information, or missing resources. Verify that your social media profiles, email signatures, and contact forms are functional and directing visitors to the correct destinations. A polished digital presence not only elevates your brand but ensures that clients and potential partners can access accurate information.
This is also a perfect time to do a digital clean up of your files. When your cell phone photos, DropBox, Canva accounts and desktop become cluttered, don’t procrastinate. Instead perform a digital data garbage dump.
2. Engage in Intentional Networking
December is a prime time to reconnect with your network. While others may be slowing down, use this pause to strengthen professional relationships. Review LinkedIn profiles, revisit client websites, and take note of recent projects or initiatives. Use this knowledge as a conversation starter for meaningful dialogue and potential collaborations.
We love using the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s to schedule in-person coffee or tea meetings with friends and colleagues we haven’t seen in a while. A simple coffee or hot cocoa break can be an inexpensive yet powerful way to network and lay the foundation for follow-up opportunities in the new year.
3. Invest in Professional Development
The holiday season is ideal for catching up on professional development. Those Canva tutorials, Adobe workshops, or Great Courses lectures that didn’t fit into your schedule earlier this year? Now’s the time to dive in. Expanding your skill set can give you a competitive edge as you head into 2025.
As political communicators, we’re also using this time to review archived policy summits. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is always a great resource to review model policies that are circulating throughout state legislatures. Key initiatives include strengthening parental rights through universal education freedom, protecting state pensions from politicized investments, and safeguarding state sovereignty from foreign influence, particularly from China.
We’ll also be reviewing briefs from the Policy Circle’s. The published a new brief Faith and Civic Engagement that aligns with the work of our firm, Bass Public Affiars. In fact, The Policy Circle offers an extensive library of detailed briefs that not only break down current issues but also provide historical context, suggest reforms, and encourage women to engage in local policy-making. These resources are invaluable for staying informed and inspired as we prepare for the year ahead.
Balance Work and Celebration
Being intentional about your December workload doesn’t mean ignoring the holidays or the holy days with family. You can enjoy a well-deserved break while positioning yourself for a productive and successful start to 2025.
This December, choose to Power Up—because a little strategy now can lead to big wins in the new year.
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