Endings and beginnings. So much of life is in the grey spaces, so little is clearly defined. But the end of one year and beginning of the next is one of those rare milestones that give us a clear line of demarcation, a place to take stock and start anew.
Many of us look back on the past year and see our failings sooner than our victories. We vow to do better, to do more. That feeling (assumption) that a new year brings with it a clean slate and endless options.
And so, we plunge headfirst into a sea of potential, where mere possibilities magically transform in our minds to probabilities, maybe even sure-things!
There’s room for improvement in so many areas and dammit! I’m going to work on every single one. We vow to push them all forward: diet and exercise, writing, marketing, quality time with friends, mastering a new skill and within minutes, our New Year’s Resolutions grow to the length of a spoiled child’s Christmas wish list.
Determine What You’re Really After
Whenever I would set about on a new project, my friend Ayla would ask, “What is the result you want?” (She is German and very smart and logical.)
I need to write that question down and put it on a stickie-note on my computer or bathroom mirror or write it backwards and put it on my forehead.
I know to do it, but sometimes I get caught up in the enthusiasm of this new goal and forget to do it.
In my experience, it’s often the case that when I take the time to clearly define my goal and what it will look like (best case scenario), that desired result shapes the way that I will plan to achieve it.
Sometimes you realize the result you want is really NOT the result you were initially looking for: You thought you wanted one thing, but when you asked yourself what having that would look like, you realize it’s something slightly different. Or it could be something slightly different.
Part of that can be illustrated by the expression “Be careful what you wish for.” I wanted to be a bestselling novelist. That implies that I sell a lot of books. But what if I need to write books in a genre I don’t really enjoy in order to be that bestselling novelist? Do I want to write something that I don’t believe in or that makes me feel icky? Really not.
What’s a bestselling novelist? Technically, I could claim to be a bestselling author. But I sure wouldn’t feel good about saying it. I have been in this industry long enough to know that I can reach the “bestsellers’ list” on Amazon in many categories with truly minimal sales. (Like, 11. I’ve made the top 10 in various categories with fewer than a dozen sales. That ain’t bestselling in my book.)
Bestselling to me means being on the New York Times bestseller list. That would require a traditional publisher who is enthusiastic enough about me to push my book. Trad publishers don’t get enthusiastic about authors until they’ve sold a lot of books. A bit of a catch-22. And the trad path is a long process where you have little to no control over the results. Good-bye New York Times.
So, my goal is not being a bestselling novelist—I really want to make a full-time living from selling my fiction. That’s a different goal. Now I get to define what a full-time living is. I understand that some genres sell better and faster than others but do I want to write in those genres? How many units (books) will I need to sell on a monthly basis to meet that goal? Where are the people who are most likely to read my book and how do I reach them? Making a full-time living from my books rather than the more nebulous “be a bestselling author” changes my milestones, time window, and methods.
The desired result shapes your strategy.
When It Comes to My Clients’ Books
When I work with clients, the first thing we discuss is the desired end result: What do you want this book to do for you? Do you want more leads? Better qualified clients? Would you like to write a book on the basics so you can free yourself up to work with more advanced people? Are you looking to become a speaker or trainer? Are you looking to uplevel your credibility?
With my memoir clients, there are as many reasons to write a memoir as there are people: Some use the writing to work through an experience, to make sense of it. Others want to leave a legacy for their family. Some have an exciting story to share or they want to help other people who are going through what they went through. Often it is a combination of things.
But you need to start with your desired end result and you need to think carefully about not just the result but why you desire it—or think you do.
Working Backwards
Once I have a goal set, I work backwards, asking myself what I need in place the month before I reach my goal, then the month before that, then the month before that. What numbers should I be pulling? What actions will achieve those numbers?
Then I ask the worst question of all: Is that realistic in my universe?
Some things are realistic in other people’s worlds but not mine. I know authors who drop anywhere from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars on advertising each month. (Okay, I only know one guy with that top ad spend, but he sells a LOT of books.) I do not have thousands of dollars to put into advertising. I barely have hundreds. If a strategy relies heavily on large advertising dollars, it may be a good strategy, but won’t work in my universe.
The same goes for doing live events. Some people have the freedom to travel from event to event, networking, perhaps speaking or being a vendor. But what if you’re not outgoing? What if you have mobility issues? Or you take care of someone who needs you home? A good strategy for some, not so good for others.
The marketing strategy for any business, whether you’re an author or landscaper, has to be achievable with your individual budget and skillset.
There’s Almost Always More than One Way
The final question should be: Is there another way to get there? This is where it helps to have people in your life who you can bounce ideas off of. Someone in an entirely different field may know of a tool or app that you could use in your quest that will get the job done faster, easier, less expensively. None of us knows every tool out there. Or every business strategy. Whether you have a mentor or a marketing buddy or some smart friends, getting other people’s input on a project or strategy can help you clarify your path and may result in a better way of reaching your goal.
I belong to a Facebook author group where people share their sales and how they got those sales. There are dozens (if not more) strategies that you can use. People are constantly coming up with individual tweaks and twists. They report the results of using various tools. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel—people are improving the wheel all day, every day. You just need to pay attention and weigh your options.
New Year, New You?
Let’s start with the premise that old you has made it this far and probably doesn’t need a complete makeover. You have most likely been moving in the direction of your desired end result over the past year or even years. Sometimes you don’t know what that end result is or maybe you don’t want to verbalize that desire—but you’ve been subconsciously moving in that direction.
Most of us don’t need to make huge changes in every area of our lives. Evaluate where you are, clarify where you want to be. Then choose to work on the one thing that will move you towards your goal fastest. The thing that will give you the biggest bang for your buck. Working on six different areas at once will dilute your energy and results.
Give your strategy time to work. We are a people who demand immediate gratification and some things take time. That’s why we put milestones along the way. Are we seeing forward movement? Is that movement happening fast enough? Were our expectations realistic?
I’ve been in the entrepreneurial space a long time. I’ve seen the trends come and go and I’ve seen a lot of people chase after dreams that weren’t truly what they wanted.
Take some time to think about your end result, what you truly want and why.
Then work on the way to get there.
Have ideas? Not enough? Too many? Need to clarify your goals? Schedule a one-hour strategy session with me and start your year off in the right direction.
