The 15-minute mid-year audit: Follow this guide to boost your firm’s success for Q3 & Q4 

Mid-year is the perfect time to pause, reflect, and adjust your marketing strategy. You don’t need to stick rigidly to the plan you made at the beginning of the year, especially if new opportunities have arisen or your thinking has evolved. 

In this simple, 15-minute framework, we’ll help you conduct a powerful mid-year audit to uncover key opportunities for the last 2 quarters of the year. 

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Step 1: Prepare Your Space (2 Minutes)

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Time Block: Schedule 30 minutes in your calendar to allow for a focused 15-minute audit, with extra time for reflection or notes.

Minimize Disruptions: Close email and messaging apps. Find a quiet space where you won't be interrupted.

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Step 2: Reflect on Strategic Engagements (3 Minutes)

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Look Back: Review your calendar and note any strategic meetings, partnerships, conversations, events, and networking groups you participated in during the first half of the year.

Quick Tip: Focus on engagements that had a positive impact or offered valuable insights.

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Step 3: Review Your Strategic Plan (3 Minutes)

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Briefly assess how your current activities align with your strategic plan.

Consider whether your goals and strategies still make sense given any changes in your business.

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Step 4: Celebrate Wins (3 Minutes)

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Write down the key achievements and milestones from the first half of the year. Ask yourself the key question: WHY was this a win? Asking why will help you mine more data and insights. 

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Step 5: Plan for Action in H2 (4 Minutes)

Identify Needs: Determine what elements from your strategic plan require immediate attention or action in Q3 and Q4.

Block Time: Allocate time in your calendar for these actions. Invite the relevant people into the discussions.

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What if, in this time, you uncover: 

• What’s getting in the way of your desired strategy 
• If your vision and your calendar actually align
• Important things that have fallen wayside to the urgent 
• An opportunity you need to revisit 

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By taking just 15 minutes to conduct this mid-year audit, you can gain clarity and momentum for the rest of the year. Remember, the goal is to identify one or two actionable changes that can make a significant difference in achieving your strategic objectives.

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