I don’t know too many people who really like pictures of themselves.  “Oh, I look too fat, too old, too…whatever!” Personally, I hate hearing my own voice on radio or in recordings.  I think I sound goofy and inarticulate.  And anyone who’s ever seen themselves on television (not including actors, of course) gets it from all sides.  We simply don’t like seeing ourselves as we suspect other people really see us.

Oddly enough, we’re the same way when it comes to our businesses.  We’d just as soon not think about what we really “look like” to outsiders.  The truth might be just too upsetting.  But the truth always wins out.  So what is the truth we must all face as professionals?  What’s the best mirror we can hold up to see ourselves most clearly?

A couple of years ago, our agency was asked by an industry association to provide consulting services to their members.  We found that we could do that most effectively by sending anyone who sought our consultation a 12-point questionnaire about their business.  It was surprising how challenging it was for many to answer the most necessary questions about their own business’ strengths and weaknesses.  We quickly realized that this was that mirror!  This questionnaire, if taken seriously, forces company marketing officers to look inward honestly and be willing not to like the answers.

I herewith offer these same questions to you to ponder with respect to your own enterprise.  But to do it properly, you cannot be superficial in your answers.  You have to dig as deep as you can.  And if you can only come up with the “obvious answer” or draw a complete blank, take that as a sign that there’s work to be done.

Ready?  No cheating…

1. What business do you see yourself in?  (It sounds obvious, but think about Domino’s Pizza.  They don’t say they’re in the pizza business; they’re in the business of feeding hungry people fast.  Or Nike, who isn’t in the athletic clothing business; they’re in the business of encouraging athleticism in everyone.  That paradigm shift is critical.  So what business are you really in?)
2. What or who is your major source of business? Do you want to change this?
3. What type of customer are you looking to attract?  Is that different from who you’re attracting now?
4. What are your current marketing/business goals? (i.e. increase sales/customers; attract business partners; grow visibility in a different business segment)
5. How realistic are those goals? Why?
6. What is going to stop you from getting there? (i.e. competitors, financial condition of firm; change in industry; etc)
7. Who is your major competition?
8. What differentiates your business from the competition?  (I mean, what really differentiates you?  What is it that ONLY you can say. Not something that with a switch of a logo or name your competitors. Once you strip away everything that you and your competitors all do, what is it that makes you different…and relevant.”)
9. List all the ways non-customers can find out about you right now?  Is that sufficient for your growth plans?
10. Where do you feel you fall short in your marketing efforts?  Message?  Creative?  Media expenditures?  Media selection?
11. What has worked best for you?  What has worked least?
12. What do you want people to remember or say about your company after “you’re no longer in the room”? (1 or 2 things)

On your first read-through of these questions, I’ll bet you say, “Oh, I can answer all that, no problem!”  OK, tough guy, then give it a go.  Build up the sweat and answer these 12 questions to the very best of your abilities.  However you answer it, whatever holes are left unfilled, whatever questions it brings up as you sit there stumped, you’ll have developed the most important document you need to move your company forward.  Because getting to your destination of choice depends fundamentally on knowing where to start and taking your first step.

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Rolf Gutknecht is vice president, director of account services for LA ads. To discuss your thoughts with Rolf on this blog or any marketing matters, email via this link, or visit www.LAadsMarketing.com.  You can also connect with Rolf on LinkedIn.

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”  – Soren Kierkegaard

The last quarter of 2014 is almost history and as we stand poised to welcome 2015 in just a matter of days, we hope for a future that is successful, rewarding and where your dreams will be realized. Having seen the start of more than a few “new business years” during my career, I’ve learned that you can do one of two things in preparation for the coming year. You can yet again try to create a brand new marketing strategy for the coming year or you can pause, look back and do some serious reflecting, resolving to change, or improve some aspect about how you will initiate your future marketing campaigns. For some people, looking back over the past year may be something better left in the rearview mirror; on the other hand, burying your head in the sand can be seen as the primary ingredient in a recipe for another disappointing year…and you know how much the CEO/President/Owner/Founder loves that kind of thinking. So before one celebrates the dawn of a new year…take time to ask yourself what are you going to do to change? What does success in 2015 look like to you and your executive management team?

Speaking for myself and our firm, the end of each year is met with a healthy dose of optimism for the coming year. We see 2015 through a lens of hopefulness, that things will continue to get better. Is that just us or will you and your organization also view the coming year with a level of anticipation that you haven’t had for a few years? Hey, it’s been tough for most everyone out there but let’s remember that at least a few organizations — perhaps some of your own competitors — have fared better than most despite these trying times. So what have they done to plot a course for a more optimistic and profitable path for success in 2015?

Depending on marketplace factors coupled with how well you were able to strategically position and market your company, the past year was either seen as a success or another year of same-old, or even a disappointment.  The question that begs to be asked here is, how much of last year’s growth or lack thereof was because of something you had no control over, such as good or bad luck, and how much was because of something you specifically chose to do or not do?  I’ve found through personal experience this is the time to be totally honest with yourself.  As Sigmund Freud said, “Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise.”

Hey, I’m all for a bit of luck but you probably don’t want to continue betting future success on lucky things happening in the coming year.  With this in mind, here are a few questions to ask yourself as thought starters as you begin the process of looking in the rearview mirror to last year and through your windshield to the next:

• What marketing activities worked for you and which ones didn’t in 2014?
• What 2 or 3 trends did you notice have taken place in your industry and outside of it that you need to incorporate into 2015 activities?
• What 5 pieces of really good customer feedback did you receive this past year that you need to take deliberate action on?
• Is there one part of your marketing activities that if it got more attention could yield better results?
• What are the 2 mission-critical initiatives that absolutely need to be accomplished by June 30^th 2015?
• How did your marketing (from strategy to execution) match up with your competitors?  Was it “beige”- boring or was it “full of color”- impactful?
• What are the top 3-5 problem areas that could impact your bottom line or stunt the growth of your brand if you don’t tackle them now?
• What are the 3-5 opportunities that could grow your bottom line, brand visibility and preference?
• What do you produce, offer or do that excites your audience and makes them think “Wow!”

As marketers, one thing we know for sure is that change will not stop in 2015. The economy will continue to shift on us —hopefully with less drama. But by reflecting back on 2014, taking control of your marketing activities rather than being tossed around by the waves in the marketplace, along with thinking optimistically about what 2015 can hold, 2015 might actually be a year worth celebrating.  It will be for us and hopefully will be for you as well.

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Rolf Gutknecht is vice president, director of account services for LA ads. To discuss your thoughts with Rolf on this blog or any marketing matters, email via this link, or visit www.LAadsMarketing.com.  You can also connect with Rolf on LinkedIn.