3 Truths to Help You Master your Marketing Goals in the New Year

Yep. It’s 2020, and the dawn of a new decade is upon us. With the start of a new year, you’re held to even bigger goals than the year before. I know when I awoke from my long winter’s nap (aka holiday break), I was met with plenty of to-dos to start the quarter with a bang.

But instead of scrambling for my sanity and hiding under my desk, I channeled my inner yogi and took a deep breath. I know the start of a new quarter, yet alone a new year, can seem overwhelming, but with these truths, you’ll be able to master your goals without being taken under.

Do your Q1 goals seem daunting? Keep reading.

Truth #1 – Slow and steady wins the race

If you enter the quarter guns a blazin’ you’re sure to burn out. How many times have you made grandiose New Year resolutions, firing on all cylinders the first week only to end up further from your goal? Avoid this mistake as you enter Q1:

Prioritize

• I know it’s the beginning of a new decade and you’re pumped (so am I!) but pace yourself. Think about what projects are most important to start the year off strong. A sustainable pace wins over powerful bursts that burn out.

Quality over quantity

• You just got back from holiday break and are well rested, rejuvenated, and full of ideas. Before you go crazy implementing new processes, projects, and the like; hold your horses. A few quality campaigns will close more business than 20 half-baked ones.

Truth #2 – A documented plan paves the way

When I first started practicing yoga, I would lay out my mat and move aimlessly through random poses hoping for the best. I had no direction and I definitely wasn’t getting the most out of my practice. Once I enlisted the help of friends who had been practicing for a while and started following pre-made sequences, I was able to confidently step on my mat knowing exactly what I wanted to accomplish.

That’s how I want you to approach your strategy. Marketers who report documented strategies are 538% more likely to report success than those who don’t. Take the time to develop a plan with your team. Assign action items and map them out. Then, follow your map. Of course, obstacles will arise, and you’ll adjust your route accordingly; but with a documented plan you’ll be able to enjoy the journey without being worried about getting lost!

Truth #3 – Teamwork is a must-have, not a nice-to-have

Start off the year by making sure everyone on your team is on the same page. And when I say your team, I mean your whole team. When working in sales and marketing, it’s way too easy to work in siloes – content over here, martech over there, and lead generation in the back – but this is exactly how problems and riffs in communication arise. Everyone on your team wants to perform at their peak but no one is communicating! What to do?

• Bring in the necessary people from each arena for strategy and planning sessions and set up a cadence for check-ins. Keep everyone in the loop with status updates.
• No one wants to feel left out or like they’re going it alone. Create an atmosphere of inclusion by actively seeking out the help and opinion of your team members.
• Just talk to each other! But…make sure you listen too. Each person on your team was placed there for a reason and has their area of expertise. Combined, you’ll be able to develop and execute winning strategies.

It’s go time!

Now you have what it takes to master your marketing goals well into 2020. Putting it all into action is up to you. What you accomplish this quarter will set the tone for the rest of the year, so make it count. Whenever you feel like it’s all too much (and catch yourself theatrically leaning back with your hand over your forehead), bring yourself back to these undeniable truths, and know that you got this!