Edited October 2021
2022 is quickly approaching, and it’s never too early to prepare for the new year. That’s why we’ve created a business planning checklist with everything you need to know. The best way to ensure that things will go up for you (meaning marketing awareness, sales, positive reviews, etc.) is to start planning now!
Where to begin?
There are a few things to do to ensure that you have a solid plan and feel organized and ready. Business planning can be daunting, but we are here to help!
“First things first, you’ll need to take a quick blast into the past to analyze what did and didn’t work this past year.”
How to Plan for 2022
Analyze Your Past Year
First things first, you’ll need to take a quick blast into the past to analyze what did and didn’t work this past year. Schedule a couple of hours with your team and ask questions such as:
- What went well?
- What didn’t go so well?
- How could we have done things differently?
- How can we be more successful next year?
It’s easy to capitalize on your successes. On the other hand, it’s also easy to overlook the not-so-successes because… let’s be honest… they’re difficult to look at.
However, you can bring significant positive results to your company if you know what tactics to avoid. Take a look at what didn’t go well last year and inquire why those things didn’t work. Then, consider what you can do differently moving forward.
Now for the fun part. Take a close look at what was done well and figure out why these tactics were successful. From there, strategize about ways that you can do these things more and exponentially grow your company!
“Decide the times by which you want to achieve your goals, and then set miniature deadlines along the way for tasks that need to be accomplished as you work toward your final goals.”
Start Setting Goals
Now that you have a comprehensive view of what did and didn’t go well for your business in 2021, you can make moves toward a brighter, more abundant future with strategic goal-setting.
Brainstorm on goals you would like to set, such as:
- How much revenue do you want to make?
- What new products do you want to create?
- What types of expansion do you want to see?
- How many new employees do you want to hire?
- Are there unique types of clients you want to target?
- Are there new marketing mediums you’d like to try out?
Once you establish your goals, it’s time to get as specific as possible. Get out your 2022 calendar and create a series of deadlines. Decide the times by which you want to achieve your goals, and then set miniature deadlines along the way for tasks that need to be accomplished as you work toward your final plans. This will help you stay on track and avoid procrastination.
Create a Marketing Strategy Plan
First of all, determine what your marketing budget is going to be for 2022. What is the maximum amount of revenue that you can allocate towards marketing your business? Remember, it’s not a bad idea to go a little high with this number, as getting the word out is critical to your business success (if you use the right marketing strategies, that is!).
From there, sit down with your marketing team (or your marketing agency if you don’t do this in-house) and determine the best ways to distribute your marketing budget.
Here are some marketing tactics to consider in your meeting:
- Website SEO
- Social Media Marketing
- Print Advertising
- Email Marketing
- Google Ads
- In-Person Networking
- Directory Listing
Decide which tactics are going to be the most beneficial for your business. Then, take the time to create your strategy plan, which will specifically outline what types of marketing you will do, who will do it, how often it’ll be done, and so on. Getting as specific as possible will help alleviate future stress and keep you on top of your marketing game!
“The beginning of the year is a great time to launch your new website.”
Take a Look at Your Website
The beginning of the year is a great time to launch your new website. If you’ve had the same website for a while, then 2022 could be the year where you design a new and fresh online presence!
Some minor edits need to be made to your site, such as service updates, search engine optimization, or photo changes. However, the rule of thumb amongst web developers is that if you’ve had your website for over three years, it’s time for a rebuild. This is because, with the rapid rate at which design trends are shifting, it’s crucial to stay up to date with modern trends so that your website looks fresh, professional, and aesthetically appealing.
Reevaluate Your Brand
This can be the hardest step of all. Of course, we recommend refreshing your brand every few years to continue growing brand recognition in the market. However, don’t just make changes to make changes. Be mindful and strategic, and, of course, we recommend working with the experts! (Like us, for instance…!)
Perhaps your brand looks outdated, or your business’s direction no longer matches what is reflected in your company copy and aesthetic. This can confuse the market and damage your brand in the long run.
The best advice we can give is to take a rigorously honest look at your brand and evaluate whether it continues to serve and reflect your company’s values. If it’s a yes, keep on building. If not, we’d love to help you redirect and grow.
We are a full-service brand and marketing agency that has helped hundreds of growing businesses and organizations tell their story and impact the market. Contact Kudzu Brands today!