Pending Business: Head Start
By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President
It’s time to start planning your holiday strategy.
Wait, what? You have not finished Q3 and here I am pushing Q4?
The fourth quarter is easily the most time consuming, thought provoking, overwhelming mish-mash time of the year for every Baby Boomer and Millennial walking the planet. Especially those of us who earn our keep marketing. The transition window from Q3 to Q4 is the perfect time to lock down your plan and that window is about to open.
Let us review priority planning:
If you sell at the national level, your upfronts are in play and gradually moving to the won-lost report as you juggle and balance your daily avails.
If you sell at the local level here are five thought starters, so start thinking:
— Second Opinions. As we review everything from our insurance, financial, legal and medical needs, everyone can use another set of eyes on the prize. Plans change, laws change, life happens. Suggest messaging that works. Start prospecting now.
— Gift Giving. Last year over $200 billion was spent on the holiday season. Will your audience spend more this year than they did last year? Considering online research is a part of daily life, when do the purchase decisions really begin?
— Politics. You don’t need this column to remind you nearly 13 million watched the debate on August 24. Voters are interested in how this tumultuous political scene will ultimately play out. Politics is big business, and nobody covers it better than talk radio. We are in this window through 2024, get focused on where you need to be.
— Holiday Travel. Just this past week, our family get together was impacted by airline delays, rescheduling, and traffic. Travelers will plan earlier and smarter. You may or may not have contacts at the airlines but consider all the businesses that thrive based on travel and tourism.
— Weather. Is there a market that is immune? From hurricanes and wildfires to snowstorms and floods, weather is a factor that can impact your business flow in both a positive and negative way. As we say here in Florida, Be Prepared!
I am guessing you have thought about everything you’ve just read. I never assume the gap from thinking to doing happens. You know what they say about assuming…
Steve Lapa is the president of Lapcom Communications Corp. based in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Lapcom is a media sales, marketing, and development consultancy. Contact Steve Lapa via email at: Steve@Lapcomventures.com.
conducted by Gregory, who was on the island of Maui covering the wildfires, including the devastating fire in the historic town of Lahaina. The show explores the government’s response, the views of Maui islanders, and what happens next. iHeartMedia says, “Gregory became 
the center of controversy when, during a press conference, he pushed Hawaii Governor Josh Green for answers and access to the fire scenes. Local and national media covered the exchange and became the foundation for other reporters to push back, seeking transparency and accountability.” The radio special and podcast are produced by Gregory and Jacob Gonzalez for iHeartMedia Los Angeles and the iHeartRadio Podcast Network.