January comes around faster than you think. And if you haven’t shown up anywhere between now and New Year’s, you’re starting from zero. But you don’t have to.
I’m not talking about a big marketing overhaul. I’m talking about a three-week plan—three SMALL things you can set up, one week at a time, that will still be working for you when things slow down. This plan can start whenever you’re ready. Why not this week?
Week 1: Why your best clients aren’t leaving reviews
Think about the last time you bought something, tried a new restaurant, or hired a service provider. How many of you clicked through to read reviews first? Most of you did, right? Now imagine your potential clients doing the exact same thing about your business. Seventy-six percent of them are. They’re looking at your reviews before they ever reach out to you.
Lots of businesses have found that handing a simple card to clients at the moment of delivery—when they’re excited about their purchase or freshly satisfied with the service—works remarkably well. A sturdy card that says “Thank you for trusting us with your [home/project/purchase]” on one side and displays a QR code linked to your review page on the other. The cards cost less than $25 to print. Hand them to your team. People scan. Reviews happen.
Here’s the thing: this works differently depending on what you do.
- If you finish projects—remodels, installations, custom work—hand the card out as the customer is walking out the door. The excitement is fresh. They’re still in the feeling.
- If you run a salon or offer a service, hand it out as they’re leaving. They just got their hair cut, their nails done, their skin taken care of. That moment. That’s when they’re most likely to share.
- If you’re retail or a boutique, include it in their bag with a handwritten note. Different energy, but same idea. They just found something they love at your place.
- If you’re strictly digital, as I am, acknowledge when they say thanks for taking care of xyz for me/answering my question/troubleshooting, etc. A great example: I purchased a phenomenal spreadsheet from a CPA online about 12 years ago and forgot about it for at least 10 years. I stumbled upon it in my files last week and attempted to use it. There seemed to be a glitch, so I emailed the gal who created it. Not only did she reply within 24 hours, but she identified the problem (yes, it was an operator error) and wished me good luck. I replied with a great big wonderful thank you so, so much. Her reply? Here it is:
You are so welcome, Pam! As a small business, your feedback is so important to me. If you have a few minutes, would you fill out the feedback form for The Debt Payoff Plan? I would SO appreciate it.[link to her reviews page]
Of course, I was willing and ready at that moment to give her 5 stars for exceptional customer service!
The pattern is the same: catch them in the moment they’re happy.
I’ve created a Canva template you can customize with your own business name, QR code, and colors. Download it, fill it in, send it to print. Done.
Week 2: Why nobody’s clicking your subscribe button
If you have a website signup, the copy probably says something generic like “Subscribe for updates.” That’s not going to make anyone excited.
Change it. Tell them what they’re actually getting.
“Get twice-monthly tips on [what you do]” or “We’ll let you know when we’re launching [thing]” or “Stay in the loop about [the stuff that matters to your customers].”
Make the words specific. Make the commitment clear. People will opt in when they know what they’re signing up for.
If you don’t have a signup yet and you’re thinking about adding one, use specific language from day one.
Week 3: You know you should be sharing. You just don’t know what.
Before you start posting or emailing, sit down and write down five to ten things you could tell your subscribers about between now and New Year’s.
New product or service launching? Tell them. A project you’re proud of? Show it. Five things they’ll want to check out before winter sets in? List it. How you prepare for the busy season? Walk them through it.
You’re not sharing strategy. You’re sharing what’s real and useful to the people who know you.
Write the list. Pick one. Share it this week. Then pick another.
That’s it. Three weeks. One action per week. By the end of week three, you’re not starting from zero. You’ve got people who know you exist, you’re on their radar, and you’re not panicking about where to start.
