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Strategic Planning for 2025: Unlocking Your Business Potential through Data-Driven Insights
The Importance of Strategic Planning
Strategic planning isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a blueprint for your business’s future. As Amy mentions, "You need clarity as to where exactly you're going." Much like a GPS needs a specific destination to calculate the most effective route, your business needs a clear objective to navigate toward success. This clarity is essential for driving focused actions and achieving meaningful results.
Leveraging Data for Informed Decision-Making
One of the highlights of the episode was the emphasis on data-driven decision-making. Amy breaks it down eloquently: “The numbers are just information. What we’re looking for are patterns, themes, reoccurring things that are happening in our business.”
Identifying What's Working
: Analyze your sales data, traffic sources, and customer behavior to pinpoint what’s resonating with your audience.
Spotting Trends
: Recognize ongoing trends to uncover lucrative opportunities and areas that need improvement.
Taking Action Based on Data
: Use insights to make informed decisions, ensuring that your actions are intentional and aligned with your goals.
By diving into your data, you not only become more intentional with your actions but also more adaptable, allowing you to pivot when necessary.
Goal Setting: Start with Your Destination in Mind
Setting a clear, ambitious goal for 2025 is your first step. As Amy puts it, "Dream big." This will serve as your North Star, guiding all of your strategic initiatives.
Why Goal Setting Matters
: Goals give you a sense of direction and purpose. They are the foundation upon which effective plans are built.
Breaking It Down
: Once you’ve set your overarching goal, dissect it into smaller, actionable steps. Breaking down large goals makes them more manageable and achievable.
The Power of 'Why'
Goals need more than just a definition; they need a purpose. Amy stresses the importance of identifying why you want to achieve your set goals: "The why is what's going to keep you going when life happens."
Motivation
: Understanding your 'why' provides a powerful motivator, keeping you committed even when obstacles arise.
Accountability
: A clear 'why' holds you accountable, ensuring that you stay disciplined on days when motivation wanes.
Drawing inspiration from Doctor Jordan Peterson’s exercise, think deeply about why you want to achieve your goals. This clarity is often the key to enduring tough times and staying focused.
Action and Momentum
“Start with the end in mind,” Amy says, and make a plan. Planning your goal allows you to break it down into smaller tasks, making it easier to take action.
Reverse Engineering
: By starting with your goal, you can work backward to determine the steps needed to achieve it.
Building Momentum
: Small, consistent actions accumulate into significant progress, making your goals seem more attainable.
When you reverse engineer your goal, you create actionable steps that build momentum. Each small win motivates you to keep going, and before you know it, you're closer to your objective.
Seeing Opportunities
One of the most profound insights from the episode is the importance of asking, "How can I?" This mindset shift opens up a world of possibilities.
Shifting Perspective
: Instead of focusing on obstacles, look for opportunities.
Asking for Help
: Don’t hesitate to ask for resources or assistance. You’re never truly alone in your entrepreneurial journey.
Amy wisely notes that opportunities are everywhere. When you adopt a proactive mindset, you begin to see and seize them, driving your business forward.
Conclusion: Plan, Assess, and Achieve
The future of your business starts now. By implementing strategic planning, leveraging data, and setting clear, ambitious goals, you can lay the groundwork for a successful 2025.
As Amy advocates, "Start planning. Assess where you are, what you want, why you want it, and how can I make it happen." With intentionality, clarity, and a focus on data-driven insights, you can make 2025 your best year yet.
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Transcript for Episode 365. Why Smart Entrepreneurs Plan for 2025 Now
Amy [00:00:07]:
When do you start your planning for 2025? If your answer is not right now, I hope that you will take notes and that this episode will change your perspective. Strategic planning and forecasting is literally one of my favorite things to do as a business owner, and this is something I love helping clients with. And we are working through it right now with all of my clients really diving into the nitty gritty and assessing what's working, what's not, and where do we want to go from here? Because as we all know, the market has shifted significantly in 2024. And that gives us lots of opportunities to grow our businesses in new and innovative ways to stand out amongst the noise in the sea of sameness that is social media. So buckle up, get ready, because we are diving in. So right now, we are in Q four of 2024, and you're hearing all of these things, all of these messages saying, okay, you need to start planning. You need to start planning. But what does that actually mean, and how does this pertain to you and your business? This is basically acting like your gps.
Amy [00:01:47]:
Because what do we need when we are putting information into a gps, we need clarity as to where exactly we're going. Because once we know what our destination is, we plug in the address, and based off of where we are now, the GPs will calculate the most effective route to get there. It is the same way in your business, and the way you get there is by assessing the objective data. Now, there's a lot of noise in the online space. Manifest your way to millions, think your way into achieving whatever you want. And yes, you need that belief. That belief is essential. However, we have to back it with objective data because that provides us with an unbiased view of how are we really doing.
Amy [00:02:58]:
And oftentimes business owners come to me and they're like, but I'm not a numbers person. And again, we've talked about this in previous episodes. It doesn't matter. The numbers are just information. What we're looking for are patterns, themes, reoccurring things that are happening in our business. We're diving in and looking at what's resonating with others, what's selling, what's not selling, where our traffic is coming in from, when we can leverage that data strategically, then we become more intentional with our actions. So the first thing I want you to do is really get clear on your 2025 goal. What do you hope to achieve? What is it that you want? It can be anything.
Amy [00:03:55]:
And I challenge you. Dream big. Because every single person out there that you view as, quote, unquote successful started just like you. We all start at ground zero. And it is so easy to get into our heads and to think that everybody else has it figured out. Spoiler alert, nobody does. We are figuring it out as we go. And you have to be willing to be flexible to adapt to make those changes.
Amy [00:04:28]:
And that's what your data does. Data is simply information that allows you to make those informed decisions. So once we have massive clarity on what exactly that overarching goal is, then we can break down. Well, why? Why do I want this? And I walk you through this episode or this exercise inside of my book, the CEO method and entrepreneurs guide to business success. And if you go to amytraw.com freebook, you can grab a copy completely for free. Now, this exercise was originally created by doctor Jordan Peterson, and it really gets to the core of why. Why do you want this? Because, remember, the why is what's going to keep you going when life happens, when things get tough, when you don't feel like showing up. Because let's face it, it happens.
Amy [00:05:34]:
Especially when things are challenging. There are days when you just want to crawl back into bed. Full disclosure. This morning it was dark, it's cold, it's rainy. Here in Ohio, I hit that snooze button three different times because I just did not want to get up. But I did it. I did it because I have to get the kids ready, I have to get them to school on time, and I have to show up. I have to show up for myself and my business.
Amy [00:06:03]:
But really having that deep clarity as to why do I want to achieve these goals, that keeps me going, that is my motivating factor. That holds me accountable, that makes me stay disciplined on the days where I just don't feel like it. Because we need to stop letting emotion dictate our business. It happens. And it's so easy to get caught up in this. But think about it this way. If you were the manager of a store and you had employees that only showed up when they felt like it, do you think your business would do well? Probably not. You'd be having to put in a lot of extra time, effort, energy, because other people aren't upholding their commitment.
Amy [00:07:02]:
It's the same with you. And that's the challenge of being a solopreneur, is oftentimes there's no one to hold us accountable. So we're running our business off of emotion and saying, you know, I just don't feel like it. Today we're really keeping ourselves back. We're really holding back that potential for growth, that potential to make an impact and to serve others. So really get into the nitty gritty and unpack. Okay, this is the goal. But why? Why do I want this? Because once we know the what and then the why, we can figure out the how.
Amy [00:07:47]:
I say, I want this because now, how can I make it happen? How can I? Those three words right there are powerful. I have them literally on my office wall. So I see them every single day. Because every day, there are obstacles, there are challenges. But the cool thing is, is when we shift that perspective to, how can I? We see opportunities because they're always there. So often, we're so focused on the challenge, on that obstacle that is holding us back from what we want, that we forget that. We focus on those obstacles so much that we forget that there are opportunities all around us. There are people there that want to help us.
Amy [00:08:43]:
We are living in an era where you can google so much information. Literally anything you need is available. You just have to ask. Ask people. Ask Google. Ask your friends. Ask your neighbors. Just ask.
Amy [00:09:01]:
I'm a big fan of the motto, if you don't ask, the answer will always be no. And it's true. We focus on that obstacle. We tell ourselves these stories, we build these narratives up in our mind, and we don't even make the ask. So, once we focus on how can I, immediately our mindset shifts, and we start to see opportunities. With this. I want you to think about it this way. I don't remember where I heard this, but it is brilliantly put.
Amy [00:09:39]:
When you start with the end in mind, you have a goal. Okay? You have your goal. When you have a goal, you can make a plan. When you have a plan, you can break it down. When you break it down, you can take action. When you take action, you create momentum. When you create momentum, you see results, my friend. It's all about reverse engineering the goal and then diving in to the data, diving into the information that you have.
Amy [00:10:26]:
It is a goldmine. Oftentimes, we're focused on everything outside of our business. Oh. The secret to success must be in that mastermind. It must be in this course. It must be in this mentor. You have all the information you need already. You just need to leverage it strategically.
Amy [00:10:51]:
It is in the data. Look at the data. Find the patterns, double down on what worked well, and let go of the rest. When you can be so intentional with why you're doing what you're doing, you will see results. And if this is something that you're struggling with I am here for you. I offer strategy sessions without any long term commitments to help you dive in and achieve the success that you desire. If you want more information on that visit my website amytraw.com dot. All the details are there and I would love to help you make a plan.
Amy [00:11:45]:
This is what I love doing because it works. Because it works. This is not a get rich quick scheme. This is not about going viral. This is about creating simple and sustainable systems and strategies that work for you so that your business can grow in a way that feels good to you. It is possible and the key to that success lies in the data. So friend I encourage you, start planning. Assess where you are, what you want, why you want it and how can I make it happen.
Amy [00:12:38]:
It is possible. I am here cheering for you and until next time cheers to making the money you want so that you can create the impact you desire.
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