It’s that time of year when creative business owners are eager to look forward. Perhaps you too are eager for a fresh 365 days to make some big dreams happen. Or perhaps you are ready to implement a slower pace to your days. Or maybe you are even looking towards some big pivots for next year. 

 

Regardless of whether you are gearing up or slowing down, I wanted to share with you how I create intentional plans for the New Year. And how reflection and introspection take the lead on making big dreams happen.

 

If you are a goal setting, big dreamer, eager to lead with intention for the New year creative, then keep reading for how my approach to goal setting differs from others you may have read this year! 

 

Planning For An Intentional & Profitable Year Ahead

 

I’ve used many approaches to goal setting over the years but I loved my approach this year. 

1. It felt uncomplicated yet comprehensive. 
2. It feels intentional and goal oriented. 
3. But most importantly it’s given direction to running my businesses – in a way that will serve the dreams I have for the year {and potentially years ahead}. 

 

This year rather than starting with Power Sheets {something I am actually currently working through}, I started with laying out my businesses marketing promotions for the full 2022 calendar year. This may seem counterintuitive. That I should start with goals in all areas of my life or some sort of reflective exercise that gives life to these perfectly polished resolutions. 

That’s never really worked for me – despite trying to fit myself into this mold for years. So this year instead of looking backwards first or setting my yearly goals, I took some time to dream about what I want to see happen in my business over the course of the next year. 

 

Most will tell you that you need to evaluate 2021 before you look ahead. While I value this approach, I already knew I didn’t want 2022 to look like 2020 or 2021. I used what I knew I didn’t want and created what I did. 

 

Sound like something that would be helpful for you and planning for an intentional year ahead? 

Keep reading how to get started on this today! 

 

Simplified Steps To Getting Started 

 

Below is a simplified version of the steps I took this year to get started on goal setting:

 

1. First I made a list of all my offerings – services, shop products, resources, courses, etc so I could see them in front of my and strategically plan for how I could promote them in each quarter
2. Next I grabbed a small 2022 year at a glance calendar {found mine on Canva – it was free! And then purchased a large wall version from paper source}  and a pencil and mapped out the promotion timeframes using Ashlyn Carter’s recommendation for one large focused promotion per quarter. 
3. Then I went back in and looked for small mini shop sales that could align with holidays and added those in as mini promotions.
4. Next I took time to map out champion content for quarter one on a quarterly planning day scheduled in my December calendar
5. From here I will schedule quarterly planning days throughout the year to map out the rest of the quarters in detail. 

 

Why This Approach? 

 

Because the last two years have felt like they’ve been completely out of my control – and for the most part they have. 

• 2020 – unexpected pandemic that shut my event planning company down for most of the year {we only had 4 events that went on as expected}. 
• 2021 – two event seasons in one, unexpected , double and triple event weekends, a failed medical test as a wake up call that I couldn’t keep this same pace. 

 

Something most definitely had to change. So instead of focusing on all the factors that resulted in a need to pivot, adapt, flex our creative muscles – I wanted to focus on creating a plan that was intentional. With the understanding that we will likely still need to adapt and be flexible #lifewillhappen. 

 

Are you looking back at your year – or the past two years if you’re like me – and wondering where do I go from here? Are you eager for the slower pace of 2020 but without all the financial uncertainty? Wondering okay so you’ve now planned out your 2022 calendar for your business but what comes next? 

 

What’s Next? 

 

From here I will reverse engineer goals for the year – personal goals, family goals, fun goals, business/financial goals. Using Power Sheets, I will work through the development of goals that help to cultivate habits. 

• Ones that help to breath intentional time for business and personal growth 
• Ones that help establish strong boundaries for 
• Ones that bring me closer to those I love

 

After which I will then operationalize the marketing promotions & goals by planning out Q1 in depth. And I will stop there – I have found trying to plan for the full year doesn’t work for me. So instead, mapping out the marketing promotions gives structure to my year but setting aside quarterly planning days allows for more in depth planning that feels intentional, relevant, and like it provides a more honest approach to getting things done! 

 

Want a Peek? 

 

Want a peek into the approach and system I used to plan my marketing campaigns and my content  for 2022? I am peeling the curtain back for FREE! That’s right, a FREE {and pitch free} content & marketing workshop on Tuesday December 28th – giving you all the tools that can help you create your intentional 2022 marketing and content plans!! Grab your seat here!