STARTING LINE

I am thinking a lot about 2024 and which of two professional paths I should take. In the past month, I've read three great books on positioning -- Muting the Microphone by Kate DiLeo and Obviously Awesome and Sales Pitch (both by April Dunford). I've also been considering whether I should reduce the number of services I offer to give prospects greater clarity.

As I considered different themes for this week's newsletter, "strategic planning" jumped out at me, given that we're just six weeks from the New Year. Let's face it: We're all being inundated with blog posts and articles on planning, but I hope the links below will offer a different perspective and, in keeping with my goal for this newsletter, help you ask better questions at this time of year.

But those three books also reminded me that positioning and how I ultimately frame my sales pitch are critical parts of strategic planning, as is updating my website and other marketing collateral to help me execute my strategic plan.

For solopreneurs, the planning process requires assessing where the economy is going, whether rising benefits costs are choking you -- particularly if your business ebbs and flows -- and defining your ideal client or customer. And tough questions require thoughtful answers.

For all of us, this is an excellent time to start blocking your calendars based on the realities of your business and your family-time goals. When are prospects and clients out of the office? When do school holidays happen? Do you want to schedule long weekends around important events like anniversaries and spouse birthdays? Will four-day weeks due to holidays give you time to complete a one-off project, clean out your emails and computer files, or grab a breather? Do that now.

And one final thing: As I look back on the year and its not inconsiderable challenges, I'm proud that I ditched Facebook and am considering doing the same with Twitter (I'll never refer to it as X) to avoid the toxicity. Some people have proposed creating lists of influencers who deliver value and ignoring my feed in favor of focusing on the responsible voices. But I thought I'd leave you with this link to Douglas Rushkoff thoughtfully explaining his decision to leave Twitter and other social media platforms if you're considering a similar decision for yourself or your company.

Have a great Thanksgiving, and take the time to reconnect with your families, even if they don't share your views on different topics.

QUESTIONS TO KICKSTART YOUR PLANNING PROCESS

1. Author Scott Edinger outlines five questions leaders should ask in this Fast Company excerpt from his book The Growth Leader: Strategies to Drive the Top and Bottom Lines. Three teasers: What's your power play? Who will value your power play? How does our sales experience create value?
2. ​Seven Key Trends That Will Impact Your Strategic Planning. An hour-long video webinar from Gartner that will get you thinking differently about the process.
3. Joe Pulizzi offers five ideas to kickstart your 2024 planning process based on the process created by Edward Locke in 1968. You'll look back, brainstorm some goal possibilities, break the top 5-7 into tasks, and set some deadlines.
4. Gini Dietrich talks about how communications leaders can be more effective strategic partners, using the trends identified by the 2023 Edelman Future of Communications survey as a framework. It’s a great article to read or forward.
5. ​Six Key Questions in Strategic Planning. The quality of your thinking and decisions is determined solely by the quality of the information you begin with, according to Mark Thompson and Brian Tracy in this excerpt from their 2010 book, Now, Build a Great Business: 7 Ways to Maximize Your Profits in Any Market.
6. ​Simplifying IT strategy: How to avoid the annual planning panic comes from CIO magazine contributor Michael Bertha kicks off with "What's the vision for IT?" and "Why change now?"
7. In The Ultimate Formula for Strategic Success, John Spence boils down the importance of bringing something to the marketplace that is (1) unique and compelling; (2) highly valued by your target customer; (3) difficult, if not impossible, to copy; and (4) consistently delivered with excellence.

HOW ABOUT SOME TOOLS TO DO THIS RIGHT?

Brian O'Conner serves up the tools you need to create your business strategy and outline your strategy docs. Lots of valuable information that you may have seen in the past but packaged in a different way.

PLAN YOUR WEEK WITH THESE QUESTIONS

1. What can I remove from my calendar?
2. What on my calendar can be automated?
3. What on my calendar can I delegate?
4. Is there anything that’s not important?
5. Can any meetings be 50% shorter?
6. How can I get off the computer more?
7. How can I maximize fun time?
8. Is there anything missing?

-- From Justin Welsh​

THREE TIPS FOR BECOMING A BETTER WRITER

This is a bit off the theme, but here's 67 seconds of goodness from Dan Pink (with the help of the Washington Post) on becoming a better writer and perhaps more clearly communicating your strategic initiatives. This will take you to his LinkedIn post because many of the comments are valuable.

HOW CAN I HELP?

I help clients identify the questions that will deliver clarity to their customers and differentiate them from competitors. Just hit Reply and tell me how I can help. Here are two ideas:

1. Purchase Josh Spector's The Client Generator for $50 (affiliate link). It's a simple system to execute on your bright, shiny new strategic plan and attract and convert your ideal clients.
2. ​Download one of my free resources to help you win the RFP, build stronger customer relationships, write an effective content brief, write an effective case study, or do a post-mortem on a communications project. And if you don't have time to do those things, I can help.

I welcome your comments or topics for future issues. If you found this on LinkedIn or had it forwarded, you can subscribe by clicking the button below.

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