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3 Questions To Ask Yourself When Planning For The New Year

by | Dec 23, 2010 | Underwire Newsletter

Wow the end of the year is quickly approaching. Are you panicked or well planned?

If you have been meaning to organize your thoughts for the upcoming year, here are some guiding questions to ask yourself.

  1. Would you say your company is becoming more effective at meeting customer needs?
  2. Have you recently implemented a large-scale innovative campaign or several small-scale innovative pilot projects?
  3. Are you collaborating more with others outside your firm?

If you want annual revenue growth next year, then work out how to answer yes to these questions.

1. Customer Relationships
Selling stuff is about creating a value-based relationship that benefits your customers and keeps them coming back. Focus obsessively on their needs and in turn your needs will be fulfilled.

2. Innovation
What are you selling? Is it worth the price, time, attention? Sooner or later, all businesses run out of room to grow. The ability to reinvent is no small feat, but it is what separates the high performers from the one-time wonders.

3. Collaboration
Forest, trees. Trees, forest. Sometimes the most obvious areas of innovation and growth are right in front of you, but you are too close to see it. Gathering ideas from outside your company is one way to source new ideas. Plus forging joint ventures and licensing arrangements can help you bring ideas to market faster and cheaper than slogging through it alone.

Now go have some egg nog and mull that over.

By Crissy Campbell

Crissy was Boxcar Marketing’s project manager from May 2009 to December 2012. She handled much of our day-to-day business, including working with clients directly on editorial calendars, weekly online activity plans, social media training and outreach opportunities. Crissy holds a Master of Publishing degree and before Boxcar Marketing, she worked at the Fraser Valley Regional Library where she specialized in the development and execution of promotional campaigns to drive traffic to regional library locations. Fun Facts Crissy has seen the sun rise on the Mekong River. She took Japanese in high school. She could beat adults at Memory when she was 5. Crissy loves wine and board games. Together when possible.

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