Written by: Vickie Sullivan | December 03, 2015
Key Questions to Ask Before Implementing Something New
Was talking with a client in distress the other day about her plan for reviving her business. Her first step: change the website.
I’ve seen this movie too many times. Change the website, write an article, and six months later…nothing. Panic, then double down and do more of the same thing. After about a year (and a totally blown budget), there’s no money (or patience) to do what’s really needed. It’s the beginning of the end.
Why is it that when folks are in trouble, the first thing they do is redesign the website? As if the only things that need to change are the boxes and the words. Here’s my theory about why we avoid the hard questions and focus on the bright shiny objects, such as publicity and websites:
- It’s easier. Making key strategic decisions in a crowded market requires some serious brain power. The questions we must address are difficult to answer because often we cannot see the forest because of the trees. We don’t know what we don’t know. So sometimes, it’s just easier to play with boxes or toss out pitches to our favorite reporters. We dodge the truth about the true state of our business.
Related: When to jump into a new market
- It feels good to look at your to-do list. I do this all the time: get the easy (and fun) tasks done first, then tackle the hard stuff. Then I look back on the day and think, “Wow! Look at all the stuff I got done!” The problem is that the elephant is still in the room. I did the urgent but less important things.
Before spending all that time and money on fun stuff, ask yourself these questions: What keeps my best buyers from choosing me? What do I need to do differently to grow my business? Am I promoting what my buyers know they need? Am I using different words to describe the same solution, or am I truly responding to market needs?
The best time to change your website, your content marketing, anything that implements your brand is after that brand is solidified. Otherwise, your implementation will not get traction. If you are barking up the wrong tree, barking longer and louder won’t change anything.
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