As we approach the end of 2020, there’s one thing we can all agree on: This is not what we expected. Heading into the new year, many businesses are struggling and have had to get creative to get by. With the coronavirus pandemic continuing to impact the feasibility of hosting weddings in certain regions, it’s left industry professionals confused about how to market to new clients.
To make matters worse, we don’t know what’s to come in 2021. There are no certainties and, for many, this is a confusing situation to be in when it comes to planning ahead. In the past, setting goals involved auditing your previous year and identifying your key strengths and weaknesses. From there, you’d then set some incremental goals based on your performance that pushed you to grow.
However, if you’re like most wedding pros, this year’s numbers look vastly different from previous years. When everything is up in the air, it’s important to be optimistic while remaining realistic about the situation at hand.
Here are the two keys for setting fresh, realistic marketing goals that will help you find success in 2021.
Focus on your bottom line.
Going into 2021, every wedding professional should have the same goal: to stay in business. It’s a scary idea to accept that you even have to consider it, but it’s one that will keep you afloat and pushing forward. Rest assured, though — you are not alone. We are all facing hardships due to the pandemic.
When the coronavirus struck in March, I lost a large chunk of my clients in a month. The ones that did stay on had to cut back on costs. My month-over-month and year-over-year projections started to dip and my thoughts had to change from growing my business to salvaging my business. Although things have since improved, my mindset shift from “thriving” to “surviving” in a crisis is the biggest lesson I’ll take from this year.
If all you can do is keep the lights on, then do just that. This year doesn’t have to be about lofty ambitions and stretch goals — in fact, it shouldn’t be as those will just set you up for disappointment. You must be realistic and focus on doing the bare minimum. When you’re comfortably in the black and ready to take on more, then you can start thinking about reaching for those bigger ambitions. But, until then, focus on what matters. During times of uncertainty, survival is the only true goal — you just need to determine how to achieve it.
Prepare yourself for everything.
While this year’s numbers may not be indicative of your usual performance, it’s important to review them to get a better understanding of what to expect in 2021. While we are not starting from scratch, I do encourage everyone to look back at your metrics in 2019; use this data to create a best case scenario goal. Then, look at 2020 and use those numbers as a baseline for a worst case scenario goal.
Acknowledging these two ends of the spectrum will help you remain realistic and prepared for whatever comes your way. Ultimately, what gets measured is what gets improved, so look at the metrics that you associate with success. What will leave you feeling proud at the end of 2021? Focus your energy there and remain disciplined in monitoring your monthly analytics — that’s how you will survive 2021 and reach your goals.
Christie Osborne is the owner of Mountainside Media, a company that helps event industry professionals brands develop scalable marketing strategies that bring in more inquiries and leads. Christie is a national educator with recent speaking engagements at NACE Experience, WIPA, and the ABC Conference.