Quarter 4 is here and the countdown to 2020 is in full swing... I know, time flies when your head is full of...
This time of year, entrepreneurs and business owners can experience a few things:
1) burn out
2) overwhelming amounts of stress and anxiety while trying to meet end of the year deadlines
3) excitement and hyper-levels of ambition for the upcoming year
4) all of the above
Regardless of where you stand, one thing is clear:
USE QUARTER 4 TO PREPARE FOR 2020'S EXECUTION!
Here are 3 realistic ways to end the year on a focused & purposeful note, as well as start the new year on a dedicated and guided note. (You can also listen to these tips on Ep. 3 of The Brand Unveiled Podcast.)
Number 1: Set Goals
Yes, you should think about the milestones you'd like to gain for your business but you should also ANALYZE them. Follow along... this is what we mean:
Look at your goals from earlier this year. Did you meet them? What kind of progress did you make? How do you know? What can you conclude from your results?
What can you REALISTICALLY accomplish within the next three months?
What are your goals for 2020? By the end of the year, quarterly, monthly and daily?
Number 2: Create a Plan of Action
A goal will remain a goal (instead of an accomplishment) unless you take action. Now...this is where business owners become overloaded with the "I don't even know where to start" sentiment--and rightfully, so. However, consider the below:
Branding - What are the messages you want to share with your target audience? Where can your audience go to find more information about what you offer? If your brand has multiple parts, how EASY is it for your audience to understand each part? Do you need to focus on ONE aspect of your business instead of multiple entities?
"Small businesses focused on niche markets are far more likely to make a quick impact than slow-moving megacorporations are. The takeaway here is to find a path and stick to it — in terms of a niche, not in terms of how you do things. Businesses with recognizable objectives, branding, and capabilities are far more likely to stick in consumers’ minds than those without." ~ Serenity Gibbons of Forbes.com
Marketing - How will your audience learn about your brand? How many social media platforms should you use to communicate with your audience? Are you using advertisements or SEO?
Public Relations - Which local media platforms can you pitch to share your story? Are there community events your brand can get involved with? Do you have an effective biography, one-sheet or EPK to highlight your brand's accolades and communicate your value for potential collaborations?
Number 3: Put your Business Operations as a priority!
We've worked with 40+ brands, and they all had one thing in common!
They had a steady emphasis on wanting to get the
"right messaging" or "create interesting content" or get "mainstream media placements." BUT...they didn't put enough focus on creating an effective system, that improves their business' efficiency. If this sounds like you and your heart palpitated a bit, it's okay. Let this be your wake-up call! (And if it makes you feel better, EVERY company, no matter the size, is ALWAYS improving their business operations!)
It's sort of like this...if you only pay attention to your physical appearance but don't put enough time towards becoming self-aware or improving your self-growth, eventually, your areas of needed improvement will begin to show.... A LOT. This same idea applies to your business.
That said, in 2020, create a CONSISTENT daily routine...and STICK to it. Here are some tips that can help you:
Get Help! - "But BRVC, I don't have money to pay someone to help me." Okay--hire an intern or motivated individual seeking experience. You may not get the IDEAL (aka extremely skilled) help you're looking for on your first hire. But there are tasks in your business that need to be done, and there's someone who can help you. Let go of some control, be open-minded and be a team-player. We use Indeed.com to find our team players.
Get Real About Reporting - You have to track your progress in order to improve. Period. That said, find a way to measure as much as you can! The data can be used to motivate your internal team to work harder (or smarter). If used properly, your data can also increase the love from your consumers.
Get more insight on these 3 tips by listening to [Ep.3] of #TheBrandUnveiled podcast.
(Available on all streaming platforms.)
If you'd like help with preparing your brand for 2020, contact us!