3 Speedy Ways to Wrap Up 2011 and Get a Grip on 2012

by Alyson Stanfield on December 28, 2011

It’s time to tie a bow around 2011 and prepare for 2012 by organizing your systems.

The ideas here should take you less than 1 hour, and they will bring peace of mind to your New Year.

Janice McDonald collage - Time Flies

©2004 Janice McDonald, Time Flies. Found paper collage on cradled wood panel, 12 x 12 x 1 inches.

1. Update the copyright notices on your website, blog, and newsletter.

2. Make 2012 folders for the paper files and e-files you organize by date.

3. Practice writing 2012. Pull out your checkbooks (if you still use them!) and write 2012 on a bunch of new checks.

Bonus #4: Join the Blast Off class. I’ll help you start the New Year with a bang in this online class that begins January 11.

How are you wrapping up 2011?

This post is an excerpt from today’s Art Marketing Action newsletter, which includes further explanation of these three points. If you don’t receive the newsletter already, you can subscribe by January 4 and get the current edition delivered to your inbox.

{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }

Lisa Call December 28, 2011 at 7:18 am

Good ideas Alyson.

A quick tip for wordpress users: Use the date function to pull the current year for your copyright notice. Then you don’t have to update it every year as it will update automagically.

http://freewptraining.com/code-for-automatic-copyright-year-change-in-wordpress-theme-footer

I’m wrapping up 2011 by spending as many hours in my studio as possible finishing up incomplete art projects.

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Alyson Stanfield December 28, 2011 at 12:01 pm

Lisa: Dontchya love that about Wordpress and blogs?

Finishing up the incompletes is – I think – THE best way to greet the New Year. That AND cleaning out.

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Laura Trevey December 28, 2011 at 7:21 am

I have to laugh at #3 ~ so true, so true!!

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Patricia C Vener December 28, 2011 at 11:25 am

I’m thinking a match and some kerosene.
Hahahahaha!

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Alyson Stanfield December 28, 2011 at 11:56 am

Ouch. Good riddance, huh?

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Patricia C Vener December 28, 2011 at 12:18 pm

For this year? You betcha! (At least my sense of humor is still in here somewhere. :D )

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Rabihah Mateen December 28, 2011 at 2:36 pm

I’m finishing the year by reflecting on my wins, losses and lessons-learned that I’ll apply in the New Year. Here they are:
http://tinyurl.com/7sadet3

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Nanci Erskine December 28, 2011 at 3:42 pm

In my case the reminder to “update” will make me actually DO the first round of copyrights on everything. (I know, I know) and…
LOVE how wordpress now does a continuous slide show-like run through of my images.
No more clicking back to the thumbnail and moving to next one.
Finally, not sure how speedy this is, but I can whip together a new postcard and business card pretty fast, so plan on doing that for a mailing for the New Year.
Kind of like reintroducing myself to the consultants/designer/studio visitors.

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Nanci Erskine December 28, 2011 at 3:46 pm

p.s.- thanks Lisa for the link to the wordpress training website!

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Christine Sauer December 28, 2011 at 9:53 pm

During this last month I have been working to finish several UFO’s and photograph them, update my inventory list in my Flick! program and on my website, clean my studio and flat files, and put together a punch list of stuff that I want to get done in the next few months. I have been spending a couple of hours on each task everyday and tho I might not be completely done by New Years this process is helping me to stay motivated because next year I really, really, want to start a new body of work. Well….. I might need a little vacation after all of this!

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Sharon Crute December 29, 2011 at 3:13 pm

Alyson, would you please share the hot keys that create the copyright symbol again? I purchased a new computer and that file didn’t make it in the transfer for some reason. Thanks!

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Gretha Lindwood December 29, 2011 at 11:01 pm

On a Mac it’s Option G, aka Alt G ©

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Lynn Basa January 1, 2012 at 6:41 pm

I’m starting the new year by FINALLY organizing all of my images and inventory so that when a client asks me at the last minute to send them a portfolio of available work, I’ll be able to pull one together in a half an hour rather than four.

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