Why you need a brand roadmap
Do you ever feel like you’re missing something in your business? Like you’re putting in SO MUCH effort, but you’re not actually GOING anywhere? It’s an entrepreneurial hamster wheel that I’ve personally been on. And in this 3-part series, I’m breaking down the 3 most common reasons why you’re stuck on the spin cycle.
Click here to read part 1 or here for part 2.
The third and final part of this series around common marketing mistakes is focused on a crucial driver in your business. I preach about THIS often because it’s the #1 reason why I see so many entrepreneurs struggle to show up with confidence and REALLY grow their business.
Ready to dive in? here we go.
Stop operating without a plan.
I know that you might feel like you don’t NEED a real plan. That you’ll figure it out as you go. That your gut will lead the way.
But let me just say, I’ve been there — and it didn’t end well.
I get it. You wanted to be an entrepreneur for several reasons, but I’m guessing one of the biggest was FREEDOM. And when you’re aiming for freedom, creating a plan can sound restrictive and corporate. You want spontaneity, space to pivot, and room to grow, learn, and develop brilliant new ideas.
But think about this: if you’re not leading with any strategy or thought-out intention, you’re essentially running your business on a feeling — a hope and a prayer that everything will just magically come together.
Operating your business without a plan is like going on a road trip without a GPS. For a while, you’ll be flying on the entrepreneurial high, living the dream out on the open road.
Until...you end up completely lost, out of gas, and wondering where it all went wrong.
In business, this GPS-free road trip looks like wasting loads of energy, money, and time working on the wrong things, only to end up further from your goals than when you started.
Here’s what happens when you try running your business without a roadmap:
You lack clarity and focus.
You waste time and money on shiny strategies and tactics that don’t work.
You sit down at your desk every morning with no idea of what action to take to move the needle in your business.
You’re focused on the short term and tend to repeat the things that “seem” to be working in your business from the outside (this is a slippery slope and can lead you astray fast).
Why do so many entrepreneurs operate “on the fly”?
Because running a business is hard.
We’re often juggling all the things, wearing all the hats, and trying to stay sane in the process. Coffee, emails, and client work takes over and our “priorities” go out the window.
Because we’re impatient.
We love instant gratification, especially in business. If we don’t see the outcome we’re looking for quickly enough, we give up on the plan and decide it’s not worth the long-term effort.
Because we second guess ourselves.
We let doubt and fear creep into the crevices of our businesses, and we forget that showing up with CONFIDENCE and leading with CONVICTION is the number one way to win clients. (Psssst. Read more about that in part 2 of the series here).
Let me say it one more time for the people in the back...
If reaching your business dreams (and your full potential) is important to you, you MUST have a plan.
READ: This does NOT mean that you are locked in for life (speaking to my fellow Aries here, who love spontaneity and changing their minds). You can always shift and pivot, but you still have to operate with a master plan.
How would it feel to be 100% clear and confident on your next steps and what you need to focus on every day to make a difference in your business?
With a clear vision and plan, you will be able to easily identify the opportunities that will propel you forward — versus the shiny distractions that will pull you off track.
Wouldn’t it feel awesome to be in a place where you are taking aligned action toward GROWTH? To know where to spend your energy, time, and money strategically to add fuel to the fire?
How much confidence would you feel in your business? How easy would it be for you to stand behind your brand and tell others how incredible it is? How fearlessly would you jump into new projects, content creation, or client interactions?
That’s why it’s so vital to have a solid branding strategy and structure behind everything you do.
The best part? Taking aligned and consistent action builds your BELIEF muscle (Read more here).
That means when fear and doubt do creep in, you can simply reset and keep your eyes on the prize. And if something goes south, you can review what worked and what didn’t and adjust your plan accordingly, instead of feeling totally lost about where to go next.
I am NEXT LEVEL passionate about bringing strategy into the branding work that we do because I’ve SEEN the difference that it’s made in my clients’ businesses (and my own!)
That’s also why I crafted an entire program around it.
If you’re tired of running on that hamster wheel and ready to lean into REAL business growth (with a group of other amazing female entrepreneurs), I’d love to be your brand coach and teach you how to craft a powerful strategy!