“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” — Melody Beattie
November (in the US at least) is the month of gratitude. I don't think that there are any gratitude months in the UK or mainland Europe. In the UK November is probably "complaining" month. By November it's cold and damp and dark. And the more North you live, the more that's the case. Hence the complaining. My husband is in Scotland at the moment where they get about seven and a half hours of daylight at the moment. So one of the things I'm grateful for right now is the nine and a half hours of daylight I'm getting in Colorado. I'm also grateful for the fact that he's going to be bringing me back mince pies, crackers, and a Christmas pudding.
Someone asked me recently what I have planned for the rest of the year but to be honest, in my mind 2024 is already over. I'm taking a break for the final week of the year so there are now three working weeks until January. Sorry if I scared you there!
With that in mind, here are a couple of bits and pieces to get you ready for 2024. Does your brand need a revisit next year, and how much should you spend on your marketing? My thoughts below.
Read on for the rest!
Brand strategy
Is your branding strong enough?
In October I spoke at Second Act Women's Biz+LifeCon to help attendees get to grips with how important their branding is. Sometimes business owners think "brand" is just the pretty veneer on their business, whereas in fact it's the company's soul and identity. I've written up my talk especially for you in my latest blog.
"How much should I spend on my marketing?" is a tough question to answer. But there are some rules of thumb that you can follow. If you're struggling to plan next year's budget, read my blog to help get your thoughts in order.
This month we sponsored the TARRA Summit: Pathways to Growth. Look at our logo on the screen there! TARRA is a professional network, boutique co-working space with private offices & membership work club. It was a great day of inspirational talks and an opportunity to meet interesting business owners. I encourage you to check out the space if you're downtown looking for an alternative place to work to a coffee shop!
#TipOfTheMonth
Case study mistakes to avoid
Case studies are a powerful way to show credibility and experience. They show your prospective customers what they can expect working with you, and the success you have achieved for others like them. They are marketing gold, so it's worth doing them well.
I collect thank-you cards. I don't go out and buy them or anything, but if someone sends me a thank-you card, I keep it. When my mother saw my little collection she said it was very "chi" of me. I'm not sure what that means. I think it was her very English Boomer way of saying it was a bit on the woo-woo side. I did not therefore enlighten her that I see it as part of my gratitude practice (or that I try to have one). I can't help reading things, whether it's a cereal box or a street sign, so when I see these cards it makes me think "thank you" and that reminds me to be grateful for things.
