14 Reflection Questions for Businesses: How to Stay Ahead of The New Year
Starting the new year off on the right foot is the only way for your business to succeed in 2023.
Don’t believe me? Think about all of those brands that were once household names like Kodak, Blockbuster, and Toys “R” Us... how often do you hear these words now? Some of these brands don’t even exist anymore! And it was all due to a failure to innovate. A failure to reflect internally and make the changes that are really needed in order to time travel into the future with the rest of society.
What is the point of making resolutions? They can’t be purely for moral decoration. If you don’t follow through why set one at all? Instead- think it though. Take yourself through a mental journey of your last year in business and reflect. What went well? What didn’t? How can I learn from this? Your biggest fear as a business operator should be ending up like other brands lost in the wastelands of the fast-paced market we exist in.
In order to actually follow through and better yourself and your business- follow along! This is a checklist of the 15 reflection questions you can ask yourself this New Year to stay ahead of the game.
What IS working?
Now, this is a very broad question. But it is MEANT to be that way. Take a step back and look at your business as a whole. Asking yourself what “works” isn’t just a way to pat yourself on the back or congratulate yourself on a job well done. These are things that should be carried into the new year! Do any new systems really stick with your team? Keep them around! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
What ISN’T working?
Don’t put yourself down. If something didn’t work- it didn’t work. If a company lets an ego or behavior get in the way of changing what needs to be changed they are pretty much doomed. It’s true that no ideas are bad ideas. But if you execute an idea and it hurts or negatively affects your business- it needs to go!
Who is your ideal customer?
Every day you’re running a shop and you see all sorts of faces walk through your doors (digital or not)- how do you identify an ideal consumer? The first thing to do is evaluate your current client base. Don’t take a wild guess! Are there clients you enjoy working with and others you dread? The qualities that people you enjoy working with have are the qualities you should be targeting when marketing to an ideal customer. The last step is to identify their current habits, goals, and fears. Depending on what your product is these qualities should align with a problem that YOU are offering to solve for them, or a way that you are going to make reaching their goal either.
E.x. You own a hair care company. An ideal client's goal might be beautiful shiny hair, while a fear from that same client might be greasy hair! In this situation you let the world know that your products will transform their hair into beautiful shiny locks WITHOUT the greasy after-shine everyone is so worried about.
What is your most valuable social channel?
Where have you been posting? Have you found any certain success on one over the other? If so, you’ve probably nailed a strategy and it’s time to expand your horizons! Commit the new year to a new social platform and figure out how to reach a whole new group of potential customers. An easy way to do this is to reuse content! Think posting short-form videos on both Reels and TikTok, or using your more professional graphics on LinkedIn.
What is your least valuable social channel?
On the flip side, if something really isn’t working there is no use beating a dead horse. Some social platforms are better suited to certain markets! Long-form video content might be great for Youtube or even LinkedIn- but do you ever ACTUALLY watch 3-minute long videos on Instagram or TikTok? Social platforms (believe it or not) have tones of their own and their audiences each expect to see different things. Where have you been posting things you shouldn’t?
What should you focus your efforts on first?
This is about setting priorities. One way to be sure you fail the new year is by losing sight of what needs to be done now- and what can wait.
Where are there opportunities for growth?
Now that you’ve identified what works and what doesn’t- use that information to your advantage. Reframe what isn’t working and try something new! Growth really is a mindset- are you in the game for real or not?
How much effort are you wasting?
Problems being corrected multiple times among staff, processes being inefficient, systems out of place... what a nightmare. Time wasted is money wasted, right?
What are your competitors doing?
Adidas VS Nike. Coca-Cola VS Pepsi. McDonald's VS Burger King. Infamous enemies right? Maybe “competitors” is the better word. Night and day these companies analyze each other's strategies and learn from each other's mistakes, triumphs, and total failures. You know what they say- keep your friends close but your “competitors” closer.
What is your S.M.A.R.T. goal for the year?
When learning learn how to write a smart goal the easiest thing to do is check out our blog that walks you through each letter step by step! It’s a pretty easy concept- are you ready for your year to feel 100% more organized?
Reflect on your brand- does it need a revamp?
I’m about to ask a question that might be hard for some of you to answer. Do you LIKE your brand? Really- do you look at your products and feel joy? Do you read your mission statement and feel a sense of accomplishment and pride? If not something needs to change- and quick. It doesn’t have to mean an entire company-wide overhaul, but if small changes can be made to make you a little bit more passionate and excited to make progress- MAKE THEM.
Reflect on your tone- does it need a revamp?
Howdy there, partner! Okay, that obviously felt wrong for both of us. Do you see why tone is so important? A fantastic research report by Jennifer L. Aaker called: Dimensions of Brand Personality defines 5 different personality traits that a brand can take on. The list includes sincerity, excitement, competence, sophistication, and ruggedness. Eerily human, right? Brands have personalities and energies just like people do! And because brands are like people- these broad terms aren’t enough to define them. Within each descriptor are dozens more detailed niche traits like playful, steady, or bold, all of which you can use to define the tone your brand communicates in. Does one of these words fit YOUR brand?
Did your accomplishments last year align with your brand mission?
Our accomplishments don’t define us as people. But when looking at your brand's reputation and your customer’s trust- your accomplishments prove to the world that you are making progress and that things are going well for your business. They make you reputable in the market! It’s important that they define your brand well. So- when looking back on your accomplishments over the last year- did they align with your brand mission? As much as you can preach your goals, your actions speak louder. So make them count and redirect them if need be!
What is one thing you are scared of implementing into your business? Why?
Fear is one of the thickest walls that doesn’t actually exist. It stops the most brilliant minds from showing the world their capabilities and limits potential to the hands of eggshell-walkers. If you are apprehensive about a business decision break it down! It’s as simple as a pros and cons list. If there are more pros than cons- fear is holding you back. How will you get anywhere?
AUTHOR: Jacqueline DiPietro