It’s hard to believe, but the year will be over in just a few weeks. Despite the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, typically, there is downtime in the business world. Clients and prospects are less available, phones are quiet and more people take time off. Now is the perfect time to get yourself and your business in order. Here are 18 tasks you can complete this month to get your marketing and business off to a great start in January.

Look Back

1.  Review this year’s marketing. Evaluate the success of this year’s marketing programs using a simple 1-10 rating scale. Tracking ROI is ideal but consider other KPIs based on the goals you set at the beginning of the year. Anything that scores a 6 or lower deserves further consideration.

2.  Review Google Analytics. Take a look at Google Analytics data to identify any important website trends. Where is your web traffic coming from? What blog topics rank highest? Are there any seasonal trends? Use this data to plan next year’s web strategies.

3.  Renew or cancel subscriptions. Staying on top of industry trends is essential to personal and organizational success. As email newsletters come in, decide which are helpful and delete the rest. Look at physical magazines you subscribe to. Are there some that no longer serve their purpose? While you are at it, seek out new industry sources that will help identify new trends in the year to come.

Look Forward

Checkups

7.  Check your website. Be sure you have Google Analytics (or an equivalent) running on your site. Review “dead” pages and remove them. Google your organization and check your site ranking. If it is low, consider a marketing goal to address that in the new year. Check your site’s mobile responsiveness. If it doesn’t read well on all devices, make this a priority for next year.

8.  Review your branding. Take an objective look at your logo and tagline. Do they still represent your company, its products and services, and mission and values? If not, build a refresh into your plans for next year.

9.  Inventory your marketing materials. Conduct an audit of all marketing content. Is everything current? Are you missing any important products or services? Do some pieces need refreshing or retiring?

Quick Wins

10. Clean house. December is a perfect time for some housekeeping. Toss old brochures, clear out old files, eliminate dead-end email addresses in your system. Even a simple desk clean-up can refresh your space and mind.

11. Brainstorm blogs. Review your old blog content and look for topics that need refreshing. Make a list you can draw on for inspiration next year.

12. Gather new testimonials. Contact a few good customers from the year and ask them for testimonials you can share on your website, in sales presentations or in marketing materials.

13. Update your LinkedIn profile. Make sure your profile is up to date. Include any significant accomplishments from the year, upload published works and review potential connections that may help you in the new year.

14. Update one item on your website. Maybe your FAQs are out of date or perhaps there has been a change in leadership. A simple fix is a great way to jump-start a full review in the new year.

Expand your Horizons

15. Learn something new. Watch a TED Talk, participate in a webinar or start a new book. Now is the perfect time to explore new ideas.

Feel Good

16. Engage with others. Retweet an influencer’s Twitter post, like a Facebook post or leave a comment on an engaging blog. When you engage with others, you’ll increase the likelihood they’ll return the favor.

17. Reach out. Call a client or vendor and ask how they are doing-no sales talk, no ulterior motive. The best way to connect with clients is through regular communication and genuine interest.

18. Express your gratitude. The holidays are the perfect time for expressing your thanks to clients, vendors and other stakeholders who have contributed to the success of your organization.