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Managing marketing and business when you’re away: an out-of-office checklist
Prioritizing rest and vacation might not seem like a productive use of time as a business owner, but time away from your desk can give you the opportunity to replenish your motivation, productivity, creativity, and energy. With a little preemptive planning, boundary setting, and delegating, it’s a lot easier to unplug and to enjoy your time away without guilt.
Here’s how to set yourself up for success.
What kinds of goals can you set for your business?
We've talked about setting goals before. The importance of establishing your company vision and the direction you want to move in, gaining clarity on your business and marketing goals, and how to use the S.M.A.R.T. framework to define your goals with more intention.
But what are some of the different kinds of goals you can set for your business? And how do you decide what to focus on? Here’s how to get started.
There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ marketing plan
The spoiler alert you likely didn’t want: there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ when it comes to marketing. Unfortunately no one, not even the most successful business owners or brands, can simply hand over their marketing blueprint and promise you the same results they’ve seen.
Your business is unique. You are unique. What you do to grow your business should fit you, your business, the audience you want to attract, and the market you're in. (And no, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to do things you don’t want to do to achieve your goals.)
Stop planning and start doing (or vice versa)
Are you planner? I am. At its best, planning is an incredible tool for gaining clarity on the next steps you need to take in your business. At its worst, it can lead to analysis paralysis, stunting your ability to take action.
On the other hand, you don't want to put something out into the world before it's ready to go. You need a minimum viable service (or product), and a plan to launch it to your ideal customers.
If you're always doing, you never have time to think
In a very busy world where we are connected to what everyone else is doing at all times, there’s a certain pressure to be busy.
And where there’s this need to always be productive and busy (and to have something tangible to show for it), blocking off time to essentially “do nothing” can seem absurd.
However, time and time again, research reveals that mental rest is just as important as physical rest.
If you’ve ever had a great idea in the shower or on a walk, you know the power of uninterrupted, intentional reflection and thinking.
Alignment vs. agreement and why it’s okay to disagree
We don’t have to agree with a decision to be aligned with a common goal or purpose. Disagreeing with something often means you see a different side of a situation, but it doesn’t mean we have to dislike when that happens. Seeing another side to a situation is often a good thing. And it’s important to remember that different paths can take you to the same place.
Making plans for marketing productivity and results
If you’re like most young businesses, marketing is one of many items on your to do list. And every item on that list feels like a high priority. But when it comes to marketing, I promise you, it really is important.
Effective marketing: Why “plan” is not a four-letter word
I’ll admit it: I’m a planner. And I get that not everyone has this mindset. But, when it comes to marketing, taking action without a plan isn’t just a bad idea, not having a plan can backfire on you in unfortunate ways. The thing about marketing is that there will always be those instances when you have to do something that addresses an opportunity that doesn’t fall within the plan. But if that’s the status quo, you’re doing it wrong.
Strategic marketing vs. marketing as a service
Marketing is an interesting discipline in today’s world. In some companies, the team ends up relegated to service status, playing a reactive role in supporting sales. I’ve started referring to it as marketing as a service, or MaaS, since everything as a service is all the rage these days. For larger organizations, I’m not a huge fan of this approach since there’s usually significant investment to salaries of qualified individuals who understand the business strategy and build plans that help move it forward.
Making a plan to get where you want to go faster
Planning starts with establishing your goals so you can break down the steps it takes to accomplish them. But it’s not as straightforward as simply making a list of things you want to do. There are some questions you’ll want to consider so you start with realistic goals:
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