Written by: Connor Dales, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Remember how we looked back on 2020 and thought “Wow! Wasn’t that some year?! Glad I don’t have to go through all that stress and uncertainty on that level EVER again”.
Oh, and how It was supposed to be all, "back to life, back to reality, back to normal."
Instead, we seemed to get the exact opposite, 2021 seemed to just add fuel to the accelerated wildfire that was 2020. Still, there were signs of recovery and even optimism to be found, along with plenty of opportunities to learn some valuable lessons.
I know I did. Lessons that I'll take with me as Meta View Coaching Solutions marches bravely and boldly into 2022. Here's what I've learned, and I hope you'll learn a little (or at least grab a few amusing memes), too.
LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP
Leading and operating in a fully remote environment is not easy, but I honestly wouldn't have it any other way. If you are looking for some literary perspectives in the New Year, I can tell you, I live and breathe Radical Candor by Kim Scott. Books, podcasts, and a little motivation to kick some major ass. Another really extraordinary book that really got me through my initial challenges and struggles is Simon Senek’s book Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action.
Looking for more on leadership? The number one book I hear agency owners and service-based businesses recommend is Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman (which goes hand-in-hand with his Entrepreneur Operating System).
LESSONS IN MARKETING
There's always plenty to learn in the marketing world, but as we shift our focus to growth marketing and place even more emphasis on being data-driven, I'm gaining new insights almost every day. Here are a few from 2021 I'll be carrying into the New Year:
It's harder and harder to track what we're doing in marketing, thanks to the iOS 14 update that put privacy and anti-tracking options in place. Now, more than ever, you need to capture first-party data from your website visitors and leads. And expect it to have an impact on the latest iteration of Google analytics long term.
Remember that websites are a living, breathing thing, and even when you think you just finished a redesign or migration...you'll likely need to do it again. Find yourself a good MarTech partner to support you. Remotish is a favorite and highly recommend their expertise. Make sure you're building a complex customer journey designed simply for your customers (from step 0 to step 672+) and reflect that journey on your website, so people easily find what they want, when they want it.
You've been around the block a time or two, and so you've probably been made aware (like, loudly and aggressively) that podcasting is all the rage. And while it gets obnoxious after a while, it's not wrong. Every brand is doing one (not literally, but almost literally) – why not you? Find a niche topic not being covered in your space or by your competitors, then connect with a good podcast partner like HumblePod to get it off the ground.
LESSONS IN REMOTE LIFE
Big companies (even the "smartest and coolest" to work for) are still discussing sending employees back to the office post-2021.
So, what's the lesson here? It's time for job seekers to go agile. Look for intimate, hip companies in your remote job search or that you want to collaborate on a business venture with. And now...
Also, consider moving to Portugal (they made it illegal there for your boss to message you after work). Gotta love that rule. Also if you live in Canada, in the province of Ontario, there has been a push through the right to disconnect movement (see here: Your boss could pay you up to 3 hours of work for just a 30-second call after hours)
LESSONS IN PERSONAL GROWTH
New year, new you? Maybe. Or, maybe you are already just who you're supposed to be and where you're supposed to be. Still, there's always room to learn and grow into the best possible version of the already extraordinarily kick-ass person you are. I've got a couple book suggestions and some personal advice for your journey to being calmer, happier, and generally awesomer:
I read this when I was struggling with my own internal blocks and it's chock-full of great takeaways for personal growth: something that helped me immensely is The War Of Art: Break Through The Blocks And Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield.
And two I personally recommend: Judgment Detox: Release the Beliefs that Hold You Back From Living A Better Life by Gabrielle Bernstein, and The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide To Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz.
Replace the word "sorry" in your language with something else. Try something like, "There's a disconnect here" (bonus points for not starting with "I think...").
And for literally everyone — remove exclamation points from your writing!!!!!! Seriously. No one is that excited.
Finally, stop watching the news too much. It's a horrific, scary and sensationalist world out there. Take some time to "do nothing" — without music, podcasts or books — take a walk, lie on the couch and stare at the ceiling or wash the dishes. It's where some of your best ideas in 2022 can come from.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2022
I've got big plans for the year ahead, and I'm sure you do, too. As you're making preparations, be sure your marketing budget includes:
A dedicated resource and budget to create branded Youtube videos on a monthly basis (we've been saying for years now that YouTube is the "second largest search engine," so this needs to be a search focus for SEO).
A line item in your budget for paid social ads to support the top and middle of the funnel and promote all of the content you're creating (*not* just the bottom of the funnel, "sign up today" ad strategy).
A lead gen chatbot strategy that captures your website visitors while they're on your site and maps them to the content they need if they're not ready to purchase.
Oh, and lest we forget, ditch the Office (in every way possible).
There you have it: what I've learned in 2021, and what I'm carrying forward into 2022. What’s one major thing you're implementing in your business and for yourself in the new year? Pop the champagne and let's count down to one hell of a great year!
Connor Dales, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Connor Dales, is a serial entrepreneur, business coach-consultant and a leader in leveraging systems for small, medium, and large sized businesses in addition to serving its owners by facilitating and cultivating strong leadership growth. He's an accredited ICF Certified Coach and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in business and personal/professional development. Connor is passionately committed to ensuring business owners and their teams breakthrough their bottlenecks and challenges to maximize their profitability and elevate their levels of impact! He is the founder of Meta View Coaching Solutions, a coaching-consulting company and online education business on a mission to transform companies from ordinary to extraordinary.
