Begin at the end

Begin with the end in mind when creating your marketing strategy.

We are halfway through 2013. It’s gone by in a hurry. A lot of the clients we work with are starting to plan what they want to do next year to take their business to the next level. This is easier to figure out by looking back as if it is already done, and you are just recounting what you did to get there.

Plus, thinking about the end helps you prioritize what is most important to accomplish.

Try this.

Imagine you are being interviewed by someone. The date is 12 months or 18 months from now. You are being asked about how you were able to hit your goals for the year. Write down those goals on the left side of your paper. Beside those goals, list the action steps you took to get to where you’ve gone.

Can you begin to see the strategies and tactics you need to develop and execute?

This simple exercise can work for any problem solving. Sometimes we tend to focus on our problems instead of the solutions to our problems. This blocks creative thinking. Having the end in mind helps take away those hindrances and peek into the future.

It’s your turn. Take an existing project and begin with the end in mind. What do you see?