Whether personally or in business, the New Year offers all of us the opportunity to embark on the next 365 days with increased clarity about what we want to call into action. Of course, losing that 15 pounds or growing your brand by 15% requires a kind of focused action that many of us aren’t quite sure how to project.
Don’t be one of the 95% of people who miss the boat on their ambitions. Try these three tried and true cornerstones to branding success in the New Year.
Set Specific Goals and Write Them Down
This may be a no brainer, but getting clear about your goals is the first step in achieving them. By first knowing and identifying where you need to focus your attention, you begin to align yourself with the work that will need to be done to realize said goals. Be specific. Is it a certain number of website hits you’re after, a particular percentage of new leads generated, or mentions in specific media outlets? Be sure to quantify these things and make them as tangible as possible.
Once you do get your plan in place, write it down! It will keep you accountable and help you better track your progress toward your goals.
Communicate Expectations and Ask for Feedback
Telling your people what you want is a vital part of any successful new endeavor. Getting your internal team, publicist and managers on the same page is the first step once you’ve set realistic goals. Make sure you have a proper budget and sufficient resources to see things through. Once you do, it’s time to open the floor to feedback.
Diversify this feedback to get a variety of perspectives. In fact, go outside your colleagues and beyond your industry to help unearth angles and unexpected strategies that you and your team can use to achieve your goals. This collective brainstorming arms you with many brilliant minds that can help you see a situation from a fresh perspective. You will likely also find support and encouragement using this process.
Take Action and Evaluate
Goals aren’t achieved by simply scribbling down your hopes and dreams on a piece of paper. It is only through decisive action that progress is made. However, even with your goals clearly defined, you could come up against some internal fears and roadblocks. It’s important not to get in your own way and push through these insecure falsehoods, making marked strides in the direction of your goals. Take calculated risks, and continuously evaluate and re-evaluate your progress. If a tactic simply isn’t working, don’t be afraid to change essentials like messaging when necessary. Just be sure to look closely at your data and take care not to overreact or overcorrect.
Ultimately, the New Year places a clean slate in our very capable hands on which to state and eventually chase our goals. Get specific and realistic about these goals, and then solicit feedback from trusted sources. From there you’re just an expectation conversation, consistent action and evaluation away from realizing anything you set out to achieve in the New Year.