Q: Denise, what should I be doing to plan for 2012?

A. The first thing you need to do is look back … not just at 2011, but at 2010, 2009, and 2008. What have your work patterns been? Where does your business come from? What opportunities have you taken advantage of, and what have you missed? Commit to getting great training – or even a coach – in 2012, and then find one. Having an outside perspective on your business is very helpful. At a minimum, engage your broker in this activity with you. Planning for 2012 should include not only goal-setting, but also the action items needed to achieve those goals. That means looking at the lead generation, follow-up, and marketing activities that will help you in 2012. I’ll be dedicating a Zebra Report to this in coming weeks, so keep your eyes peeled for more ideas!