BCWEEKES

Thoughts, Theory, and other such Ramblings

Brandon

Defined by Goals

One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. ‘Which road do I take?’ she asked. ‘Where do you want to go?’ was his response. ‘I don’t know,’ Alice answered. ‘Then,’ said the cat, ‘it doesn’t matter.

― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Defined goals are critical to any organization. How else will the direction the organization is headed be known? Goals should define where we are headed in 25 years, 10 years, 1 year, 6 months, tomorrow, and in ten minutes.

Goals allow for focus on what matters most and what matters now. Goals keep us on task. We should ask ourselves if what we are doing now and tomorrow is going to lead us to where we want to be a year from now.

The strategy of the organization should be defined by the end goal, with all tactics employed pointing in the same direction. Goals should always be set starting with the end in mind, then worked backward. One large goal supported by minor goals and the tactics and tasks needed to accomplish them. As an organization, the goals should stretch. Data and its analysis should be considered in keeping goals, strategy, and tactics as attainable and on target.

#focusingonbest

Why are small business owners not using social media?

When I started my first business, not many people used the web. Google was not there for me, no Facebook Fan Pages, no Twitter, no Instagram, and no Foursquare check-in. Social media… what was that? TV ads, print ads, and direct mail were expensive for me to run long campaigns. Not a lot of inexpensive ways to get my company out in front of my desired clients.

I enjoy visiting small businesses, attending farmers markets, and any place I can meet interesting talented entrepreneurs. I love the small business owner and often ask business owners how I can follow their company. The responses surprise me, often a company has made no efforts to create an online presence. No Facebook, no Twitter, no Pinterest, no anything. Other times I am told I can follow the company on Facebook or Twitter; but when I go to Like or Follow, there is no activity from the company on their page. Often the business information is incomplete or contradictory between social channels.

Why Social Media

Social media can offer an abundance of contact points for potential customers. So no matter where you client hangs out online you can be there, this does not mean you have to be everywhere and on all of the social sites. You can target the social channels that your best customers frequently use.

Use of social media also attracts the attention of Google and other search engines. Their task to offer up the best, most relevant information to their searchers’ inquiries. If you can answer questions, resolve concerns, and provide relevant solutions in your social channels you will rank better in search results.

Final Thoughts

Reflecting back on all I have learned in my business experiences, I wonder why in this age of opportunity so many companies are not utilizing social media. This is where I get confused, I know all about the struggles of starting a company. It’s tough. Time is precious and money is scarce, but here you have a medium to reach out, connect with your customers, and build your brand.

 

*Revision of article originally published 11/25/2012