6 Habits to Start Right Now for Your Best Q4 Ever | EP 259

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Q4 is coming, but preparing for it isn't about having a perfect plan. It's about creating the habits and rhythms in your business now, before the busy season hits.

If you don't have these habits in place yet, you're not behind. August, September, and even early October are still the right time to start.

In this episode, I'm sharing six habits to start building now to help you prepare for Q4 plus one bonus tip I learned the hard way during my first few busy holiday seasons.

1. Create a Consistent Content Rhythm

If you haven't been consistent with your content, now is the time to create a repeatable schedule.

Instead of showing up in bursts - posting every day, going Live, or creating lots of content for a couple of weeks and then going silent - choose a cadence you can sustain through the rest of the year.

If you're not posting consistently right now, start with one post a day. As you plan your content, think about your attraction, nurture, and selling content.

The important thing is to find a rhythm you can maintain as your business gets busier.

2. Get Consistent with Video

Whether you choose Reels or LIVEs, start making video a consistent part of your content.

People want to see you. They want to see behind the scenes, your products in motion, and the journey not just static photos.

And as Q4 gets busier, there will be so much happening behind the scenes that you can capture for content. Getting into the habit of turning on the camera now will make it easier to remember to do it when you're busy packing orders, making products, and getting everything done.

You don't have to be the best at something to be successful. Be consistent. Consistency builds courage, knowledge, and resources over time.

3. Run One List Builder

Choose one lead magnet or free opt-in and let it run consistently through at least the end of October.

You don't need to change it every week or have five different list builders running. If you've had a list builder that worked well in the past, pull it back out and get it running again.

If your business is very seasonal, consider using a seasonal list builder that makes sense for your audience right now.

The goal is to keep growing your email list so you have fresh people on it as you head into your Q4 sales.

4. Increase Your Email Touch Points

Once you're building your email list, you need to email the people on it.

If you're not emailing right now, start with one email a week. After three or four weeks, increase to two. If you're already emailing once or twice a week, start gradually increasing your frequency.

Building that rhythm now means you aren't suddenly going from rarely emailing your list to emailing every day during Q4.

It also helps with deliverability. By the time you're sending more frequent sales emails, your subscribers are already used to receiving and opening emails from you.

5. Block Time for Inventory and Orders

As your business gets busier, it's easy to spend your time fulfilling orders. That's why you need dedicated time on your calendar to stay on top of your inventory.

Block 60–90 minutes weekly or every other week to look at what's planned, what's on the way, what needs to be reordered, and which vendors you need to follow up with.

I block 60–90 minutes every other Tuesday for product follow-up. Putting it on my calendar means that time is protected and I can't schedule something else over it.

Stay on top of your products now so you don't get into the middle of November and realize you don't know whether something you need is going to arrive.

6. Protect Your Peace and Your Pace

You don't want to go at full tilt all the time during Q4. Build these habits now so they're easier to maintain when things get busy.

Work ahead wherever you can. Write emails, plan promotions, schedule social content, and make videos now so you're not in the weeds by November.

And put time off on your calendar. If you wait until the work is done to take time off, it's not going to happen. Your work will never be completely done during Q4.

Don't Forget January and February

I've learned this one the hard way.

For two years, I was so focused on getting products and promotions ready for Q4 that I failed to plan my January and February subscription boxes.

When December arrived, I had to scramble to find products that were still available and pay extra for expedited shipping.

As you're planning for Q4, don't forget that the calendar keeps moving. Make sure you have your January and February boxes planned and products on the way so you're not scrambling at the end of December.

Start with One Habit

If you're looking at these six habits and realizing you're not doing any of them consistently, don't try to start all six at once.

Pick one.

If you're not consistent with your content, start there. Spend the first couple of weeks building that rhythm. Once it feels comfortable, start adding consistent video. Then keep working your way down the list.

Habits take time to build, and trying to change everything at once creates overwhelm. I've built my own business one habit at a time. I got consistent with my podcast before adding YouTube, and even with the podcast, it took time before I was able to start batch recording episodes a month ahead.

You don't have to be perfect or have everything figured out at once. Choose one habit, get consistent with it, and then build from there.

And if email is one of the habits you need to work on, I've got a resource to help. Grab my 5 Emails for Subscription Box Owners swipe files at the link below to help you start showing up consistently in your subscribers' inboxes.

Join me for this episode as I share six habits to build now that will help you stay consistent, prepared, and ready to make the most of Q4—without trying to do everything at once. 

Five Emails Subscription Box Owners Can Send Every Month