New Year - Now What?

And just like that, the holidays are behind us. The celebrations, family gatherings, gift giving and binge watching of college football are finished and 2018 is here.

Yes, it’s a new year and everyone is talking about new year’s resolutions.  But, why be resolved to something? And how many of these so-called new year’s resolutions have you actually kept?

Studies show that only 8% of people who set goals achieve them but the research also shows that people who make resolutions are 10 times more likely to achieve stated goals than those who don’t commit.

The key is commitment. 

People who achieve goals are committed, determined and they have a plan.  The plan includes SMART goals:

            S:  Specific

            M: Measurable

            A:  Attainable

            R:  Realistic

            T:  Timely

So take this opportunity at the beginning of a new year to update your marketing plan. Review your goals for 2017 and the degree of success for each one.  Consider what goals to set for this year and remember to make them SMART.

Once you have a plan, it might help to have an accountability partner.  This can be someone in your firm or another business colleague.  As accountability partners, you agree to meet or talk at scheduled times to discuss each other’s plan and support the advancement toward established goals.

Don’t have a plan? In my work with lawyers in firms of all sizes, I use a simple form I created called the IMAP or individual marketing action plan.  It breaks goal setting down into specific sections and ends with action items to get you started on achieving your goals.  If you would like a copy of the IMAP template, email me at Brenda@stewartmarketingandconsulting.com.

2018 is here, are you ready to make the most of it?