Planning is all about asking yourself the right questions, so that you know where to focus your energy. Here are a few prompts to get you thinking about things that will help move the needle in your business this fall.
Branding
Before looking at your brand visuals to see if they still feel aligned, get clear on the essence of your brand. Ask yourself:
- Who does my brand serve?
- What problem does my service or product solve for this specific person?
- If my brand were a person, what are five adjectives I would use to describe my brand? (things like creative, trustworthy, strong, gentle… you get the idea!)
- What sets me apart from others providing this same service or product?
Once you are clear on the heart of your brand, look at your visuals and see if they feel aligned. Do the colours match the mood of your brand? Do your brand photos feel aligned with the people you serve? Some things, like your entire brand vibe or your logo, may be harder to adjust if they are starting to feel out of alignment. But there may be little things you can do to bring your brand visuals closer in alignment to your answers to those questions. If in doubt, ask a professional for help – but having answered these questions first will put you in a really great spot for starting the conversation.
Website
If you have been ignoring your website, now is a great time to run through it and ask yourself these questions:
- What is the main call to action on my website? Is it still aligned with my current goal? (If the call to action is to download a lead magnet, is that still relevant to my main goals?)
- Is all the contact information on my website up to date? Are my office hours up to date?
- Is it easy for someone to get in touch? Is my email, phone number, or contact form easy to access from every page?
- Can someone figure out after a few seconds on my home page what my business is all about or do they have to go digging?
- Are any links broken? Check all links to make sure they still lead to the intended pages. This is true for links within your own website and links to external sites.
Marketing Materials
What marketing materials do you need for the fall? This varies widely from business to business. If you will have a booth at an event, if you have a physical location, or if you are going to networking events after a summer off, you may have different needs.
A few questions to ask yourself about your marketing materials, whether they are a pop-up banner, postcard, brochure, catalogue or one of the many other pieces that may be supporting your marketing efforts and brand:
- Do my marketing materials still feel aligned with the heart of my brand?
- Are they visually consistent with my website, social media feed, and any other digital or print marketing materials I am using?
- Are any product or brand photos current? (Do photos of me still look like me today or will people not recognize me easily in them?)
- Is this marketing material serving a purpose that aligns with my current business goals?
