So now is a good time to reflect on the year, albeit a very strange one after covid!
But from a business and marketing perspective, what worked, what went well and what didn't.
What business goals did you have for this year other than surviving!
- Did you meet them?
- Did you bat them out of the park?
- Did you get close?
- Did you have any?
If you didn't have any goals or objectives for the year, why not?
Making it up as you go along isn't an effective business strategy, even if most of us have been guilty of it (me included 
).
But don't panic, you still have time to fix it and save repeating what happened before (and the year before, and before...)
Sit down now and examine your business
- Choose 3 overarching goals you would like to have achieved by Dec 2022. Maybe revenue to be xyz, new product etc.
- Now decide on a number of activities, mini strategies or plans that are going to help you achieve each goal.
- Let's break those 12 month goals into 90 day chunks. Jan - Mar, Apr - Jun, Jul - Sep, Oct - Dec.
- Now calendar your 90 day plans, with a list of actions, so you can review every 90 days.
Your first 90 day plan starts in January. This gives you a chance to implement your new ideas, start working through an action plan to achieve your goals, and you can review your progress at the end of March. What worked, what didn't, what needs to change. Tweak things, change things as required, but keep the goal and your targets alive.
If you follow this strategy, even though other work and life pressures will come charging through along with a bucket of distractions, you will still have a plan that you can pick up and get your teeth into. Then monitor progress before your next self imposed review which will pop up in your calendar.
Now when you get to Dec 2022, there should be no surprises. Simply review what worked and what didn't work. Understand why, and plan accordingly for 2023. Learn from failed strategies and ideas and adopt fresh ones.
Are you ambitious or a plodder?
Remember it is better to get 50% of a very ambitious target than 100% of an easily achieved one. Ambitious targets lead to growth, more cash and options.
Easy targets lead to the same as last year and plodding along or just surviving.
