For the remainder of 2020, and especially through the home stretch of the year in Q4, two things are bound to be true. Some Merch By Amazon sellers will say they’ve had their best Q4 of all time. Others will say they’ve had their worst.

Which group you find yourself in will ultimately depend on, I believe, how well you FOCUS. Specifically…

  • Will you FOCUS on how to innovate in the season’s most profitable niches, not emulate what’s already been done and done again?
  • Will you break free of repeating the niche choices, design styles, and keyword selections you’ve depended on for years and, instead, FOCUS fresh eyes on today’s market opportunities, trends, and niche momentum?
  • Will you FOCUS on opportunities beyond MBA, and escape your comfort zone to explore what KDP, ETSY, and other POD platforms have to offer?
  • Will you FOCUS through setbacks and work twice as hard in November if your October sales are a total disappointment?
  • Will you FOCUS beyond the niches you know and achieve true niche diversity with your portfolio? Any niche and every niche can sell in Q4. There’s no reason or excuse to not be in as many of them as possible.
  • Will you FOCUS exclusively on the work at hand, and tune out distractions, such as the never-ending barrage of social media posts that either portray MBA as being dead or the source of life’s easiest money? Neither is true.
  • Will you be willing to part with the past and FOCUS on new ways to research, design, and list products if your old ways no longer work? The POD industry is a fluid space. Those who don’t learn to go with the proverbial flow usually drown.
  • Will you FOCUS on steady Q4 growth for your POD business and not allow unrealized unrealistic expectations to quell your enthusiasm for POD?
  • Will you FOCUS on Q4 2020 as the pre-season to the full year ahead? It’s imperative to maintain year-round the enthusiasm you’re feeling today, as you plan for weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals for 2021. By seeing your path to success as a long drive, not a day trip, your creativity will be aided by the added calm, clarity, and caution that comes with a long-term vision.

If your answers to all of the above are YES, I have no doubt you’ll be in a better position than most to succeed in the second half of 2020 and make the most out of the opportunities ahead.