Your business goals should reflect your business strengths. Here’s how I approached setting business goals this year:
#1: Determine what success looks like to you. What is your definition of success?
I’m not talking about the kind of success that comes with fame, fortune or notoriety. I’m talking about a deeper sense of satisfaction and fulfillment in life. The kind you feel when you know you are living your purpose every day.
That’s what I want for everyone who utilizes the Pin My Shop Content Planning Workshop. And it's why I work so hard to help you succeed - by creating meaningful content that connects you to your customers and drives sales growth online.
I believe there is no greater gift than helping others achieve their dreams, which is why we do everything we can to make sure you get the most out of your business opportunities. This means through digital marketing strategies like content planning, social media management and email marketing campaigns.
I love seeing people grow into the best version of themselves possible because it means you're doing something you truly love! It makes me happy knowing that I've assisted in some small way in helping someone find happiness in their entrepreneur path again!
That's why Pin My Shop Content Planning exists - because everyone deserves a chance to execute their plan for happiness! So let me help you create more meaningful connections with your audience today! You won't regret it ;)
Now it's your turn: what does success look like for you?
#2: What current strength(s) can I maximize or improve in my business and online business marketing?
If you are a small business owner, you probably already know that marketing your business online is crucial to your bottom line profits.
However, you probably also know how hard it is to keep your social media content fresh and engaging. The Pin My Shop Content Planning Workshop can help! We’ll take the stress out of planning your next post by guiding you through a process to create an editorial calendar specifically for you that includes all the holidays, events, and other special occasions coming up in the next quarter - and content built upon the strengths of your business. You’ll never have to worry about missing a holiday again - or forgetting to start your marketing efforts in advance for seasonal products.!
With this workshop, we make sure that every strength you have is maximized within your content plan. We also make sure that you can develop a content strategy that allows you to post at least one relevant post consistently, planned ahead of time! No more scrambling around on December 25th trying to figure out what Santa Claus would want with your products!
Your business should be aligned with your personal strengths and most profitable products. Make a list of these items and circle it. This will be a core focus of the content planning workshop I teach.
Ready to watch the workshop? You can access all of the videos by purchasing the content planning workshop here. I love the heart of the DIY-er - so if that's you, keep reading!
#3: What are the weaknesses you have or can identify in your business marketing - areas that need improvement?
Content is the lifeblood of any business. It’s what keeps people coming back and it’s what helps them remember your brand. But if you don’t have a clear plan for creating that content, then it can be hard to know where to start or even how much time and effort should go into each piece of content.
Consistency - or rather, the lack of consistency - is a persistent weakness of many companies. Every day, entrepreneurs are bombarded by tasks that need attention, and often the marketing plan is neglected.
This is where having a plan to execute as part of your consistent monthly, weekly and even daily activities will minimize this particular weakness. It’s important to get it right, and that’s why I offer the Pin My Shop Content Planning Workshop! I will help you identify current weaknesses in your specific business so you can improve them.
Take this time to list every weakness you have - personally and professionally. Identify the bottlenecks in your business. This can be a painful process but it's necessary. When you've done that, move on to Step #4!
Step 4: What opportunities do you want to take advantage of in 2021 that will move you towards your goals?
You are only as strong as your weakest link!
Have you ever heard that before? It was a philosophy I bought into fully as a high school volleyball coach. That's why even my non-starters got the same number of touches during practice. They all needed to learn how to play!
That's why I teach you how to make a list of your weaknesses and choose TWO of them to turn into opportunities. Because that's what your weaknesses can be: opportunities to explore for your business.
If you want your brand voice heard by more people than ever before, then sign up for my content workshop for e-commerce businesses today! With Pin My Shop's content workshop, you can easily manage all aspects of your digital presence without having any prior experience in the field.
Plus, I am always available if you need assistance along the way – just ask me anything at anytime! I love helping customers reach new heights when it comes to growing their business through effective digital marketing strategies.
Let me show you how we do this every day!
So what are your top opportunities this year? That's your homework - take some time to determine these opportunities and choose two to prioritize.
And that takes us to the last step of this analysis - a S.W.O.T. analysis. You guessed it!
S - Strengths
W- Weaknesses
O- Opportunities
T- Threats
So let's finish up with the threats.
#5: What threats do I need to minimize that might prevent me from achieving these goals?
Awareness of steps 1-4 really helped me hit the ground running in 2021. I know it will help you, too - in 2022 and beyond! The above steps include the first four steps in the strategic plan that I teach. The strategic planning activity is called a “SWOT” Analysis.
SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.
Instead of simply focusing on our goals, the SWOT gives us the opportunity to reflect on what has worked or failed in the past. Twenty years ago, colleges commonly taught the SWOT analysis as a way to teach strategic analysis. I feel it is still applicable and easy to use today, even in the digital landscape!
By analyzing these four elements, we can also identify what positive activities we need to increase. Then we can identify the negative activities we should decrease as well as understand what opportunities exist. Finally, we need to identify the threats we need to avoid AND neutralize.
One of the major benefits of a SWOT analysis is to identify Weaknesses and turn them into Opportunities. These opportunities will help our business grow. Think of it as the business equivalent of making lemonade out of lemons!
So what is threatening your business? Common offenders include time, competing priorities, and obviously, revenue.
What can you do to mitigate these threats - to prepare for them, to avoid them, or to minimize the impact they have on your business in 2022?
The answers to these questions will guide you in crafting a content plan that is perfect for YOU. Perfect for YOUR business.
If you like this short exercise and want to dive deeper into it while also using your answers to create a strategic plan for your business in 2022, please check out my Content Planning Workshop!
And let me know if these questions help you get clarity for your future growth!
Good luck and happy marketing!
Crystal, The Pinterest Pundit
About the Author:
Crystal Waddell is a Pinterest expert and marketing strategist who helps creative entrepreneurs build profitable businesses. Crystal started her own company in 2013 and went full-time with it in 2021. Her mission is to help other online business owners grow their website traffic and revenue through Pinterest Marketing and strategic SEO. Each month Crystal hosts a hands-on workshop for business owners who want to learn to use Pinterest effectively for their businesses. For more tips on growing your business with Pinterest and SEO, check out www.pinshop.com or follow @pinshopify on instagram!
