Can you believe the year is almost over? In order to move on to 2014, now is the time to evaluate how you did this year. Make sure you look at your company’s entire marketing strategy, so you can improve on it, and do better this upcoming year. Each year is a fresh start, so take advantage of it. You can now figure out new goals and marketing strategies, depending on where you want your company to go and what you want to accomplish. Appreciate how far you’ve come in 2013 and do your best to build a better marketing strategy. Here are a few steps to take to focus your evaluation.
Review your 2013 goals
What were your goals this year? Did you reach them? Did you surpass them? If you didn’t have any goals, don’t worry. Now is the time to begin setting them for 2014 and keep track of them during the upcoming years. Coming up with a way to reach those goals will help you focus your marketing strategy. What do you want to accomplish this year? Where do you want to be this time next year? If you reached your goals last year, don’t be afraid to set higher goals for 2014.
Take note of your accomplishments
It’s important that you celebrate your successes and take note of your accomplishments if you want to move forward. It’s okay to feel good about what you’ve done this year and take the time to congratulate your company on a job well done. Being aware of your accomplishments will help your figure out what you still need to do and how you will get there.
Forgive your mistakes
Any mistakes you made in 2013 are in the past once you enter 2014. You have a chance to refocus your company’s marketing strategy, so you should take it as an opportunity to learn from any goals you didn’t reach. What happened? How can you work out a new and improved marketing strategy? It’s natural to feel some disappointment, but it doesn’t help to dwell on it. Figure out a way to re-strategize for 2014 and don’t back down. Every New Year is a new chance!
Share your successes
Sharing what you have all accomplished with the rest of your marketing team will help motivate them and see the possibilities of the upcoming year. If you’ve reached a certain milestone that you’re proud of, share it with your customers. If you’ve been able to open a new location, for example, this is something to celebrate and share with everyone. Sharing how far you’ve come this year will reinforce that your company is growing and that everyone is doing their part. Success can be extremely encouraging.
Evaluating your progress over the past year will give you confidence and will help you plan for even more success in 2014. Figuring out and recreating a successful business plan is something that can be done by working with your marketing team. You need to be clear about what you want and then map out a plan for achieving your goals. Consistently working on that plan now and throughout the rest of the upcoming year will only bring you success.
Your marketing strategy will most likely change throughout that year, so give yourself some leeway. Evaluate what you want to accomplish month-to-month, plan accordingly, and don’t be afraid to revisit those plans when necessary. What has your company accomplished this year? Do you have any tips? Let us celebrate with you!