Blog

Q4 After-Action Review: Building for Success

Now is the time to reflect on the last year of challenges and turn them into lessons for a stronger year ahead. Maybe you were so focused on the day-to-day chaos that you lost sight of the bigger picture.  

Maybe ads underperformed or exceeded expectations, leading to inventory issues, but you couldn’t step away from fulfillment to address them. If Q4 left you feeling overwhelmed, it’s time to analyze and adjust. 

Start with an After-Action Review 

A simple yet powerful tool to guide your reflection is the After-Action Review. Here are some questions to get you started: 

What did we anticipate happening? 

What actually unfolded? 

What worked well and why? 

What didn’t go as planned, and how can we improve? 

When you take the time to answer these questions—whether by yourself or in a team discussion—can provide clarity and direction for the year ahead. 

Real-World Reflection 

One of our clients shared her Q4 experience with me some time ago. Sales were soaring, which was fantastic news. But she spent much of the season in the warehouse, hands-on with order fulfillment.  

While it was exciting to see products fly off the shelves and know holiday cheer was being delivered, being in the thick of operations meant she couldn’t oversee her advertising strategy. 

As a result, the person she entrusted with ad management overspent by $75,000. Unfortunately, the return on ad spend (ROAS) was well below target because they didn’t fully understand the business’s goals.  

It was a painful and costly mistake, but it was also an opportunity to learn. 

Affordable Alternatives to High-Cost Solutions 

First she considered hiring a fractional marketing officer to avoid similar issues in the future. While that’s one approach, we explored other, more budget-friendly solutions: 

  • Temporary Staffing:  Hiring temporary workers for fulfillment could have freed her up to focus on critical tasks like monitoring inventory levels and ad performance. 
  • Delegation Support:  Bringing on an assistant to handle daily reports and emails could provide better oversight without requiring her direct involvement. 
  • Specialized Roles:  Instead of a high-level marketing hire, consider a marketing assistant who can also handle administrative tasks. This approach provides targeted support at a lower cost and keeps the big-picture marketing strategy within reach. 

Success Starts with Understanding 

The purpose of an After-Action Review is to dig deep and uncover insights that lead to smarter decisions. It’s not just about fixing mistakes; it’s also about celebrating wins and identifying what made them possible.  

When you take the time to reflect, you’ll be better equipped to replicate successes and avoid setbacks. 

Charting Your Path Forward 

Now’s the time to sit down and think critically about your Q4 experience. Here are a few steps to get you started: 

  1. Track how you’re currently spending your time and identify areas that need improvement. 
  2. Evaluate tasks that don’t add value and consider stopping or delegating them. 
  3. Think about roles that could be outsourced or shifted to free up your focus for high-impact activities. 
  4. Ensure you’re not just assigning tasks but empowering your team to take ownership with proper training and clear expectations. 

 

By taking these steps, you’ll create a business that’s not only more efficient but also more aligned with your goals. Use these lessons to build momentum, and make this the year your business works smarter, not harder. 

 

Interested in Profit First? 

profit first book If your ecommerce business isn’t where you’d like it to be in terms of profitability, check out my book, Profit First for Ecommerce Sellers. It answers important questions about how to implement Profit First in an ecommerce business. Take control of your money and your business, and put Profit First to work for you!  

You can also sign up for the Profit First for Ecommerce Sellers Online Course. As a Mastery Level, Certified Profit First Professional, I will teach you why Profit First works so well for ecommerce businesses and the particular challenges for businesses that have physical products requiring inventory management. You will learn how your behavior drives your money management habits for your business and how you can set up your business bank accounts to work with your habits. 

Check out all our ecommerce accounting and profit advising services here! 

 

Post Author Cyndi Thomason

Cyndi Thomason

Cyndi Thomason is founder and president of bookskeep, a U.S.-based accounting, bookkeeping, and advisory firm for ecommerce sellers worldwide. She has a passion for data analysis and process development. She uses that passion to educate her clients and help them structure their businesses to maximize profits.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.

<!-- -->