 Some of my goals in January’s past include: losing weight, getting stronger, getting fitter, reading more, being on my phone less, spending less, learning to surf, drinking more water, upping the step count, planning work better and doing more CPD... Sound familiar? I have succeeded at all of them… for between a week and a month. So what went wrong?
Firstly, those are not goals. They are visions, dreams perhaps, but they aren’t goals. They have no path to achieving them. They are the pinnacle. Like expecting to reach the top of the mountain but with no plan on how to take the first step. So where to start…? A vision is actually a great start, but you can’t just say, “this year I want to set up my own business”. You need a defined goal and a plan. No point in a goal without a step-by-step guide of how to achieve it. Here are a few things to consider when creating your goal. WHY? Why do you want to achieve that vision? Unless you want to do it for you, it is already flawed. Your goals should be for YOU. Not to please others, not to avoid judgement from others, because it is what YOU want. WHY NOT? Why has it not happened already? What is holding you back? What barriers are in your way? Finances, the opinions of others, motivation, time, knowledge… What might make you fall at the first hurdle? Acknowledge your barriers, and your plan should include ways to overcome those barriers as well. THE GOAL After you’ve covered the why and how, let’s start getting specific. Instead of “I want to get fit” how about “I want to be able to run 5km in under 30 minutes, by 1 June this year.” Boom - we have a measurable goal. Now visualise the goal - write it down, make it your screensaver, create a visual picture of your goal - whatever works for you. Look at it regularly until it is ingrained in your brain. IS IT THE RIGHT SIZE? Make sure it is the right size of goal. Too little, for example if you can already run 5km in 32 minutes, and you won’t be motivated. Too much, for example, you have never run in your life, and you will likely give up. You can then have milestones within your goal, mini goals. Achieve that, and then move to the next one. You will eventually build up to the same goal but with smaller, achievable goals along the way. PRIORITISE YOUR GOAL What journey do you need to take to get you to the top of the mountain? You may have failed with this specific goal in the past because you didn’t prioritise the goal. You didn’t make time for it for example. If time is an issue, look at where this goal sits in your life priorities. Can you make it a non-negotiable? So if you want to get fitter, those three hours a week you plan to go to the gym are set in stone. You commit to those times each week and under no circumstances are you swayed by the lure of a coffee date, or a client requesting a meeting etc. That is your protected time to help you achieve your goal. As soon as you start rescheduling it, downgrading it’s priority, it will gradually slip out of reach. MAKE A PLAN What can you do TODAY to make you a step closer to your goal? Footballer Marcus Rashford talks about how his goal was to play for Manchester United. Aged eight, he knew doing 50 keepie uppies that day would take him a tiny bit closer to that goal. So he did. So what can you do today? Join a gym? Speak to someone about your goal to make you accountable? Buy one of those water bottles that shows how much you should drink? Find a business mentor. It doesn’t have to be a big thing, but it does have to happen. Today.* CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT TO THRIVE Do whatever you need to create the environment to allow you to flourish. That might mean finding office space, joining a gym, researching recipes and creating a meal plan. Good planning leads to good performance. And if you usually find your enthusiasm waning a few weeks in, try listening to motivational podcasts about goal setting, self-improvement and self-love. ACCOUNTABILITY IS KING The chances are you aren’t self-motivated or you probably wouldn’t need to be reading this blog. I find making myself accountable is absolutely key to achieving a goal. Shout about it - tell people about your goal. Think carefully about who you tell. Tell people you know will be supportive, people who will encourage you and check in on you. Don’t tell people who might be jealous of your goal and potentially discourage you. Hire a business/career/fitness/life/nutrition coach/mentor - someone you can work with and check in with regularly to ensure you’re still on track. I often find paying someone makes me more likely to take heed of advice and make full use of their advice or coaching - even payment in coffee or a contra deal… CELEBRATE SUCCESS A journal is a great way of keeping track of your progress and will be a valuable reference point when you are having a dip. Don’t wallow on any setbacks. Move on from them quickly and get back on track, don’t let them be an excuse to spiral. Then when you achieve your goal, look at ways to make your new achievement a habit e.g. healthy eating, fitness, create a new goal if that helps - you’re an expert now after all. Summary: Top 10 tips to realise your goals
 Brunch, or ‘munch’ as my oldest calls it, in my eyes, is the best meal of the day. So where to go in the Burgh?
First up, The Raeburn. Ever since it was changed from the dingy old man’s pub with beer stained carpets, to the gorgeous boutique hotel it is now, I’ve loved every visit and there have been many! Homemade granola, proper porridge, or the full bhuna (Scottish or veggie), The Raeburn won’t let you down. Best for kids (and dogs!) too with a menu packed with various options- pancakes being the go to for my youngest. Second, Porto & Fi, the French toast is divine. I like to credit myself for them adding the grilled banana topping as an option. Every time I went in for a year or two, I would ask for banana instead of bacon, and now it’s an option on the menu and definitely my top pick. Eggs Bene take it for the lads in the family, and mini me would opt for a local sausage roll. A friendly, family-run hidden gem. Third, my local, Herringbone. I couldn’t believe my luck when my favourite North Berwick eatery opened in my hood. The same great vibe, super friendly staff, and the best mushrooms on toast you’ll find in the capital, with the smashed avo, poachie and halloumi croissant the perfect morning after option. It’s a 24-7 kind of place. From breakfast to brunch, lunch to an afternoon cuppa, and dinner to cocktails, and from sweaty gym gear, to dressed to the nines, Herringbone is the answer. If you like eggs, then The Pantry is the place to go. The Pantry owns eggs. If you’ve never tried Sunshine on Stockbridge, do you even live here? Roasted sweet potato rosti, smoked paprika tomato, a tonne more flavoursome veg and eggs cooked to perfection. Proper drool inducing… Super posh smashed avo and if needs must, a side of halloumi fries. Finally, Grams, the new kid in Stockbridge (formerly over at the West End). A veggie’s heaven, but chuck a bit of bacon on, and the whole party will be cock-a-hoop. The Purple Haze smoothy is a great breakfast on the run, while my non-liquid faves include Say Cheese sourdough with avo, cashew cheese and a kick, or vegan pulled pork bursting with spices. The waffles and pancakes are on my ‘to do’ list. Other strong contenders - Urban Angel, the trailblazer of the Edinburgh organic eats scene, if parking was easier, I’d never leave. Cowan & Sons, formerly the Stockbridge institution that was Maxis, perfect for a kid-free catch up. Honeycomb & Co and Salt Cafe as my southside option. Mimis, known for cake, but the breakfasts are wholesome and hearty, if only I could leave without a wee blue and black box in my hand…  I’m a broken record. One of my long-timer clients can now even predict one of my database-themed rants long before I get going. Now I’m putting it down on paper. Making it official. Your database should be top of your priority list. Why? Cue the rant…
And don’t worry about unsubscribers. They may have subscribed by accident, for a one-off promotion or because they needed but don’t now (like a mum-to-be). If they don’t want to follow any more, that’s ok. They probably wouldn’t have bought your product or service anyway. Those who stick with you, they are the gold. So show them the love.  A note for start-ups. Please don't make marketing an after thought. An add on. A 'nice to do'. Marketing works when it's part of what you do. Part of every thought. Part of what you write. Part of how your brand looks. Part of everything.
The starting place is the message. Tattoo it on your hand. What are you all about? Cheap? Luxury? Expert? Friendly? Informal? Techy? You can't be everything and if you try to be your message will be a diluted, jumble of mixed messages and will ultimately be lost. You need to be believable. A dentist who says they are family-friendly, yet when you walk in the practice there isn't a toy in sight, not even a pot of well-chewed crayons. I just don't believe you. You need to say the same thing everywhere. Your website says modern, fresh, high-tech, relaxed and welcoming. I know what to expect when to arrive. Eh?? Your practice hasn't been painted since daffodil yellow walls were 'in' sometime around 1995, your leaflets are full of typos and your staff are dressed like something from a 1980's US law series. So you invested in a fancy new website that communicates a completely different message to what I've found on arrival. Your social media is friendly, casual and informal, I think we could be friends. Then you send me a letter (in the post...) which says 'Dear Mrs Blair' (I'm in my thirties, no one calls me 'Mrs' anything), written in Times New Roman and with an SAE for my response. I'm dumfoonered. It's all about marketing. Weaving one message through everything you do. That's what makes you believable. That's what builds trust. That's what makes me so confident in what you tell me that I will recommend you to a friend. And even in this ever-changing world of marketing, word-of-mouth trumps everything else. No amount of spend on fancy adverts, direct mail campaigns, pricey websites, cleverly constructed social media campaigns, beats word-of-mouth. So before you think about what marketing tools you might employ, advertising, PR and the array of tactics you could integrate into your marketing mix, think about nailing your message, in every area of your business. Then maybe your customers will believe you. |
RSS Feed
Location
|
|