New Year, New You??
Only if you execute
There is something magical about starting a new year. You get to imagine a new reality.
“I’m going to be in the best shape of my life.”
“I’m going to have the best year ever at work and get promoted”
“I’m going to finally start that business I have been thinking about”
Every December, marketing teams gather around whiteboards, with fresh ideas, big goals, and a collective sense of “this is going to be our year.”
There’s a buzz in the air - big campaigns are brainstormed, KPIs are set with confidence (why can’t we grow 5% month over month 😂).
For the first few weeks of the year, the energy is palpable. Teams are organized, meetings are productive, and execution is on point. It feels like everything is falling into place.
But then, February rolls in, and the grind sets in. Deadlines get missed. A few unexpected fires pop up. That exciting new campaign gets bogged down in revisions. And before you know it, all that January momentum starts to fizzle.
You know the feeling: that burst of energy at the start of something new, followed by the slow realization that the real work isn’t as glamorous as the planning phase.
But the true test of a marketing team’s is in their ability to execute the plan not in their ability to create it.
The gritty, monotonous day-to-day grind is where the real change happens.
The truth is most marketing teams fail at execution and that's one of the biggest reasons for lack of growth at companies.
So how do you keep the excitement going past all your initial planning.
Here are 3 ways:
Work in shorter cycles – 2-week sprints: Breaking down your projects into 2-week sprints can make tasks feel more manageable and keep momentum high. It’s a lot easier to stay focused and motivated when you’re constantly hitting small milestones and seeing progress.
Break down goals into monthly or weekly goals: Large goals can be overwhelming. By breaking them down into monthly or weekly targets, you create a series of attainable steps that guide your progress and keep you on track. This approach provides a clear path forward and helps maintain focus.
Celebrate small wins: Don’t wait until the end of a project to celebrate. Acknowledge and reward the small victories along the way. This can boost morale, keep the team motivated, and reinforce the value of consistent effort.
So, next time you find yourself enamored with the planning phase, remember at the end of the day, it’s not the plan that matters – it’s the execution.
If you need help executing this year - don’t hesitate to reach out.
Thanks for reading,
Adam
