Make 2011 Your Best Year Yet!

Happy New Year! I hope you’ve been having a wonderful holiday season, and you’re (almost) ready to get back to work Monday.

Perhaps you’ve spent some time over the holidays to make plans and preparations for your new year in a big way while everyone else was  relaxing during the last two weeks of the year.  If you did, good for you. I believe you’ll be ahead of the game! 

HONOR THY CUSTOMERS

If not, there’s still time to personally reach out to your top two dozen or so customers from 2010. Make large deposits into these relationships. Give back, don’t try to sell on all your accomplishments. Instead…why not give each one of your top 25 clients a call. Find out what they did for the holidays. Get to know them a bit more personally. Take the opportunity to thank them for their business, and tell them how working with them helped make your year. Ask if you’ve served them well, and listen to their success stories they may say about how they used your voiceover work, how great it is to work with you, and possibly how you compare to others they may have worked with.  Use this valuable information and time to build your relationship and not sell. Invest yourself emotionally. You’ll be remembered as personal and unique.

Speaking of unique, we are voice artists, and we should embrace all of who we are. Keep in mind that many successful entrepreneurs are artists, actors and non-conformists.  So zig while others are zagging.  Remember that being the best at what you do and being different and unique are solely in your control.

Take a look at who you spend time with, and how. I always seek out positive,  leaders and mentors, either in my immediate community, or on the web. I make an effort to connect especially with people who may be farther along on their voiceover journey than I am. I love how my voice coach Pat Fraley says he’s not that smart. He says he just likes to hang out with people who are smarter than him. One of my long-term missions is to surround myself with phenomenal people.

Another area to focus on with laser precision is the identification and avoidance of time wasters that lead to procrastination. By doing so I know I will be creating more value for my clients, my family and myself. Speaking of value, I want to establish goals to take better care of all my relationships. My clients/business, my friends and family, and my spiritual  values, because all of those things are connected. My mission for 2011 is to make sure that what I do on the “outside” is in sync with my internal values and vision.

 FAST FORWARD

So what are the nuts and bolts of my preparation for a dynamic new year that I will spend the remaining two weeks of this year doing?

Here’s a partial outline:

1. Update my oldest demos
2. Review last year’s set of goals and enjoy the ones attained. Last year I wrote down 21 specific short and long-term goals and accomplished 15 of them. I’ll look at the ones I didn’t attain and either make them a priority or remove them (things can change in their relevance over a year’s time )
3. clear off my desk and clean out file cabinets,
4. Move old paperwork into deeper storage
5. Clean house (literally) And donate unused /unneeded items and organize
6. Read and learn positive personal development materials daily (at least 5-10 minutes/day)
7. Detox a bit- Get a massage, take a long bath, or for me-a facial, workout more. (I’ve thoroughly enjoyed probably a few too many those delicious holiday treats)
8. Have an attitude of gratitude. I know I’ll be happier!
9. Prepare my marketing calendar for the new year
10. Review budget that I have allowed for 2011 for voiceover classes, books, gear, continuing education, plan on taking a course at a community college that could help my business.

I’ll step back and review what worked last year, and what didn’t. I’ll reflect on what I want to let go of, and at the same time focus on what I want to attract and draw into my life and work. I personally have a game plan each year, similar to “resolutions” that address the advancement of my voice acting career, my business and marketing skills, plus a set of goals to enhance my personal life which will fuel my professional life. I keep those goals printed up at my workstation  at eye-level so I have to look at them each day. They hold me accountable.

Hopefully  I’ve given some ideas that you can use to give your voiceover business a jump-start to the New Year.  I hope  2011 will be your best year yet.