Last week, with fall under way, I took the opportunity to sit down and do some good old soul-searching and encouraged you all to do the same. The mission of the quest was to become the type of person that attracts success both personally and professionally. Self-reflection often goes hand-in-hand with success.

Click here to catch up on the importance of character in business.

Now that you’ve taken some time for introspection, here are a few things you may want to work on in the coming months to grow both personally and professionally:

Set Yourself Goals. Whether you want to reach a sales quota or improve your marketing efforts, you can’t reach goals without setting them. Now is a good time to review your goals, dig deep and make the adjustments necessary to achieve them. Goals should be “S.M.A.R.T.” – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.

Network, Network, Network. Whether you’re looking for prospects and new accounts, or you simply want to get your name out there in your industry, commit to attending at least one networking event per week. If you bring a partner or attend with a colleague, be sure not to spend the event isolated with them. After all, the goal is to expand your network. The best way to do that is to engage in real conversations and forge new relationships. If you can help someone at an event by connecting them with a friend or colleague, make the effort. You never know what may be born from your kindness.

Make Follow Up Calls. You may make a strong impression and come across as a world class professional, but an impression can amount to nothing without follow through. If a prospect asks you for information or to follow up at the end of the month, then be true to your word. By following up in a timely, friendly manner, you come across as an “on the ball” professional with whom people would like to do business. Be careful to listen closely to how your prospect wants to be communicated with.

Ask for Referrals. When you work successfully with a client, make the effort to capitalize on that relationship. Fall is a great time to check in with past and current clients and ask if they have anyone in mind who may benefit from your services. Remember to express gratitude when clients do send referrals your way. You may wish to incentivize referrals by reducing your fees for clients that send business your way or by sending a gift card or bottle of wine. Even a simple hand-written “thank you” letter can go a long way and speaks volumes about your character.

So, how will YOU challenge yourself over the next four months so that you can learn, grow achieve and prosper?

Send me an email – I’d love to hear your thoughts!

If you run into problems doing these things, cant seem to track your results or need a gentle nudge in the form of an accountability partner to get the results you are looking for, contact me. I have a few open spots left in our Legacy Business Accountability Program.