Ashlee Stubits

Pardon Me, What Year Is It Again?

Jul
6

Written by: Ashlee Stubits

This time of year I lose all track of time. Literally, there are days when I don’t know what year it is.

Before you completely think I’ve lost my mind, if you’ve drafted an annual marketing plan, you know exactly what I’m talking about. You’re executing your current plan, and at the same time, planning for next year. It can be confusing and exhausting – to say the least! That said, this time of year is a great time to think about an annual plan if you don’t already have one.

There are several advantages:

  • You will have set objectives and tactics to measure against. Your board and/or key stakeholders will like this accountability.
  • You will be able to better stay on budget. If you can plan for your budgets in advance, there will be fewer surprises. Fewer surprises mean fewer unanticipated budget overages!
  • You might get a better budget ask for next year. There are two parts to this. First, if you have been tracking your budgets for this year (and I know all of you are!), and realize things are costing more than you had anticipated, you can better prepare for that in the coming year. In addition, by having the accountability in place with your measurable goals, you may be able to justify a more expanded program for the future year.
  • You’ll get your team excited and re-energized for next year. Don’t plan in a vacuum – have your entire team a part of the process. You’ll get better ideas this way, too. Planning is also a great way to better integrate with other departments in your company and with agencies.
  • If your departments are spread thin, you may be able to ask for more support internally if you have a good plan and budget in place for the following year.

If you already have an existing plan, take some time this month and look back at what you said you’d do this year. What ideas might you leverage for next year? What might you do differently? What are some big, new ideas that you haven’t already done?

If you don’t have a plan currently, start the process early. Remember, it takes an investment of time and team to come up with the best plan possible. Annual planning’s hard work, but it’s well worth it in the long run.

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It’s March. How are your New Year’s resolutions?

Mar
8

Written by: Ashlee Stubits

This year, I gave up something VERY important to me.  Something I’ve nurtured for years.

I gave up caffeine.

For years, I religiously drank a cup of coffee in the morning and a Diet Coke (or sometimes two, depending on the day) in the afternoon.  After years of this bad habit, I decided to wean myself off slowly as part of my New Year’s resolutions.  That was one long week.  On a particularly rough day, my poor husband thought he was experiencing a form of exorcism.  I’m just saying, there may have been a crying hissy fit involved.

Now that we’re in March, and I’m still caffeine-free, I realize it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.  I’m more clear headed, more patient and am much less stressed by things that come up during the day.  There are definitely days where I have wanted to rip off someone’s arm to have their Diet Coke, but I know if I have just one, it will be all over!

That was just my silly personal goal, but from a communications standpoint, I also try to set some goals each year on how I can connect better with coworkers and friends.  Have you?  If not, now’s a great time to start thinking about how you communicate on a day-to-day basis.

Maybe your goal is to have more face-to-face communication with your coworkers.  Get off the email and walk over there today! Proactively call a client or contact you haven’t spoken to in awhile.  After the new year is a great time to reconnect with people.

Was your goal to have better grammar?  For starters, read Randall’s post here.  Another great way to improve your writing is simply by reading more.

In addition to how you communicate, think about what you communicate.  Twitter and facebook are great ways to be heard – but remember who reads your posts and don’t get in bad habits with them, either.  I have been shocked by the number of friends who complain about their jobs on facebook.   Remember that your colleagues and clients – and potential other business contacts – are reading your posts, just like you read theirs.  In person, what kind of vibe do you express in a meeting?  Make sure your nonverbal communication isn’t sending all the wrong signals.

Sometimes what you give up can give back in ways you can’t imagine.  Take some time this month to reflect on your “all year’s” goals and set some new ones when it comes to how and what you communicate.

Oh, and when you’re meeting in person and connecting with an old colleague, please drink a massive Diet Coke for me.

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