For many, this last quarter of the year means an opportunity to wind down from the hustle and bustle of a busy season. What many don’t realize, however, that this is the perfect time to buckle down to create a 2016 road map to ensure continued success.
Each fall, I make sure to reevaluate our goals for the upcoming year. So what do we think back on?
I reflect on what we’ve accomplished from the previous year’s goals, what we didn’t accomplish, what blindsided us or derailed us, as well as what we did above and beyond our original plans. This gives us the opportunity to reevaluate and structure ourselves for the new year and, while it can surely be a challenge, it’s an essential step to keep us on track for the perfect wedding business road map.
While some may view getting blindsided by unforeseen business engagements as a negative, we always embrace it as something we’ve learned from or something that we hadn’t accounted for that we’ll need to consider for the future.
A prime example is seen in the changes to our mobile-friendly website and how it’s affected by the way Google reads each of our wedding websites.
In 2014, we had just recently updated our websites, only to find out in early 2015 that we had to reconstruct and redesign many of the functionalities of each site to comply with Google’s changes. It turned out to be a large financial and time investment that we hadn’t budgeted for in 2015, but a choice that was worth it in the long run.
From there, we move into the goals we didn’t quite accomplish, as well as why we didn’t reach them. At the same time, we reflect on strategies that didn’t quite make the mark
And just because we have been at this for years, doesn’t mean that we’ve had to reevaluate our own strategies. For example, we spent several years donating our time to a particular wedding industry-related event with an even trade for our services. This year, however, we decided not to move forward with it, as we weren’t seeing a return on investment. At this time, we haven’t experienced any negative effects from our decision, so we’ll plan to exclude it from our annual list and concentrate on a new, more rewarding endeavor for 2016.
Events like these are always a gamble, so don’t be afraid to take a chance and try it out to see if it works for you! If it doesn’t, feel comfortable moving on and exploring the next venture. There’s no need to dwell on things, so plow forward, my dear industry leader!
As we review all of these elements, it allows for us to build a budget with the new year in mind, while incorporating yearly, quarterly and monthly goals. We are also making it a priority to better streamline the process of gathering new business, providing services, and maintaining client satisfaction. The best way to achieve this is to incorporate the team and motivate everyone to reach these goals. It can seem like the hardest part, but at the end of the day, everyone wins!
As you begin to look at 2016, be sure to set up realistic and obtainable goals, while still having your "big dream" goals to ensure you’re always striving for the best achievements.
When you reflect on your accomplishments throughout the year, you should feel good about what you’ve achieved! Just remember: when you’re feeling blindsided, accept it as a learning experience that will help you grow for the future!
Brit Bertino, CSEP, is the award-winning owner of Brit Bertino, Event Excellence as well as Simply Weddings Las Vegas and The Totty Belt, with offices in Las Vegas and Santa Monica, Calif. A recognized leader, speaker and teacher, Brit recently launched her mentorship program and enjoys assisting wedding professionals on their path to success.
