With just under two months until the new year, it’s natural, as a small business owner, to start turning your attention to next year and think about your marketing plans.
But, before you do, in this article I explain why it’s important to pause and ask yourself three essential questions before you dive into planning mode.
Your answers to these questions will save you a lot of time and ensure you focus your time and energy on the right areas.
So let’s get to it.
The three questions are:
How do you feel about your business at the end of 2023?
What do you want to do less of next year?
What did you love doing this year?
How do you feel about your business at the end of 2023?
First things first, grab a good ‘ol fashioned pen and paper. Or if typing’s your thing, open up your preferred device.
Next, with your pen and paper or screen, start writing words that come to mind when you think about your business this year, 2023.
Here’s a few prompts to get your brain fired up:
Or come up with your own words.
Once you’ve finished your list, circle those words you want to be able to say again about your business at the end of 2024.
And, add new words that you wish you could have written about 2023.
By going through this quick process, you should now have a list of things you’re aiming to feel or say about your business after this year.
And a list of things you want to leave behind.
How useful is that!
Onto question two.
What do you want to do less of next year?
The best way to know this for sure is by asking yourself: what took up too much of your time. Especially if:
🙈 You didn’t love doing it
🙉 You didn’t get great results
🙊 It wasn’t the best thing you could have been doing with your time
Write a list of those specific activities or tasks that come to mind when you think about this question.
Then, with this list, think about whether you can simply stop doing some of those things.
For instance, if Instagram is a platform you don’t enjoy using or engaging on, do you need it in your marketing plan?
🤔 Do your ideal clients actually hang out there?
🤔 Is there a platform that works better for you?
If you don’t enjoy it, and it isn’t necessary for your business, try stopping.
See what happens when you put your energy into areas where you are successful, and that you enjoy.
I’m willing to bet that you get better results.
However, if there’s something that you don’t enjoy, but something your business relies on, could you streamline how you do it?
Or even outsource it? (Hint, here at Lime we know a great digital marketing team 😉)
What did you love doing this year?
OK, so continuing with your pen and paper or preferred device – write down everything you enjoyed doing in your business this year.
✔️ Was there a networking group that always gave you a boost?
✔️ Or maybe you’ve grown a love for podcasting, blogging, or creating new product offerings?
Make a list and circle any that you loved AND that were beneficial to your business.
But please don’t ignore the things you loved that didn’t benefit your business.
A better approach is – look at those activities you loved but not sure made a positive difference and ask yourself: “is there something I could do to make them more effective?”
For instance, if you love podcasting but aren’t getting enough listeners or followers, could you use dynamic ads? Or collaborate with another podcaster to reach a wider audience?
When you spend time on activities that make your heart sing, you’ll make a tangible impact on your business.
Because, let’s face it, you want to carry on doing what you love for as long as you can, so it makes sense to focus on doing what you enjoy the most. And make it work for your business.
Play to your strengths
By taking a few minutes to answer these three questions, you’ll avoid making a plan that starts the new year with a long list of ‘necessary evils’.
And instead you begin the year playing to your strengths.
No more trying everything to see what works. And more of doing what you love, that works for your business too.
This is a good place to be because, as you build your plan, you’ll be focused on what you don’t want to include. And what you do.
Now go forth and plan.
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