Graham McGregor: Helpful success strategies for December

By taking time to focus on your successes you will feel more positive. Photo / iStock

There are only a few short weeks till a brand New Year begins.

So here are three success strategies you might like to put into action this month.

These strategies will help you to finish 2016 well and get off to a great start in the New Year.

Success Strategy One:

Celebrate all your successes from 2016.

By successes, I mean anything that you did or experienced in the last 12 months that made you feel good about yourself.

A great way to celebrate these successes is to write them down:

Here are just a few of my own successes in 2016...

• I have now written over 285 weekly marketing columns in the NZ Herald online.

(A big thank you to all the Herald readers who have taken the time to comment on what I have written. I really appreciate it.)

• I ended the year a lot bit fitter and healthier. (I definitely appreciate this success.)

I rode the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge for the second time and did a lot better than my first attempt two years ago.

• I discovered a dozen new fiction authors that I really love to read.

• I had the opportunity to do the Alps to Ocean Cycle Trip with my wife and friends. (That was a fantastic adventure and a great holiday.)

• We now have two Birman kittens who we love. (Max and Milo.)

As you can see, the successes you celebrate on your list don't all have to be big.

They can just be things you did or experienced that made you feel good about yourself.

By taking time to focus on your successes you will feel more positive.

And this is a great way to finish the year on a high note.

Success Strategy Two:

Say 'thank you' to the many people who have helped make a positive difference to your business.

These people could include key clients and customers, helpful suppliers, valued advisers, enthusiastic supporters and many more.

I think December is a great time to positively recognise all these people.

An excellent way to say 'thank you' is to send these people a hand written note saying you really appreciate what they have done for you during the year.

A hand written thank you note is very rare in business and is always appreciated when it is sent out.

You might like to say something like this in your note:

'Hi Mary, just a quick note to say a big thank you for all your help and encouragement during the year. Your support made a big difference and I really appreciate it. Kind regards. John Smith. (For special supporters and clients you might like to send a small gift as well.)'

Success Strategy Three:

Set up a programme of RPI for 2017. (RPI stands for 'Regular Positive Inspiration.')

This just means you expose yourself regularly to positive ideas that will help improve your results in some way.

If you own or manage a business, an important key for long term business success is your ability to attract new customers and clients and convince them to spend money on the products and services you offer.

In other words sales and marketing is a critical factor for your business success and is something you should devote time to getting good at. So look for helpful marketing resources and ideas.

Have a great week.

'What the New Year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the New Year' - Vern McLellan

Action Exercise:

Take a few minutes and write down at least a dozen successes you have enjoyed in 2016. Write down big and small successes. Give yourself a nice pat on back for all these achievements.

Graham McGregor is a consultant specialising in memorable marketing. You can download his 396 page 'Unfair Business Advantage' Ebook at no charge from www.theunfairbusinessadvantage.com.