We have been moving fast over here at Olive with one of the craziest event seasons in our 15+ years. What an honor it is to work with so many amazing clients that create not only joy, but in many cases the foundation for fundraising, advocacy, education, community, celebration, and more.
The wind has been fast, but we have been gliding at full speed noticing what gains momentum and what just doesn’t give the same push that it used to. It’s an ever-changing world and we take great pride in being on the leading edge as we sail through what many consider rough waters.
With election season before us and the start of the holidays, there is a lot of noise to contend with. Some might call it a media storm, but that doesn’t stop us. With experience and a commitment to results, we always focus on a strategy and pivot when necessary. At Olive, we know that the same old cookie cutter approach just isn’t going to cut it anymore. To that we say, great! What’s next?!
Just like unpredictable weather, sometimes, you have to rely on good old-fashioned intuition and experience. From there, you can overcome any challenge. As we navigate these unpredictable times, we start with the same powerful questions to ensure we know where we are headed and create the space to be innovative. We are finding, now more than ever, that creative and timely promotions are essential to success.
Here are our tips and questions we ask for keeping things on course:
- Know what your vision is. What is your grandest vision? What is happening when everything is firing off in the most supreme way? What is happening when you achieve your goals? Who is there? What does it look like, feel like, etc.? You need to know where you are headed in order to plot your course. With a clear vision of the outcomes you want to achieve, you can create a map to get there.
- What is your ‘why’? Why are you doing what you are doing? Without a certain answer to this question, you might get distracted. You don’t want to let the sparkly things distract you from your path. Be clear and intentional about your mission and where you are headed. This will not only help you stay the course, but will also inspire you through more difficult times.
- Are you clear about the value you bring? Who are you serving? What are you serving up? Why is what you are doing important?
- Know who you are trying to reach and get honest about how to reach them. The days of a blanket approach no longer work. Today’s tools allow us to be very specific about who we are trying to reach. At the same time, they can be limiting, with consumers having the ability to pick and choose what they want to see and who they want to stay connected to.
- Just because it used to work, doesn’t mean it’s going to anymore. Things have changed, people have changed, and the odds are, you have changed too. Look for what will work now.
- What are your values? This is sometimes skipped and it is essential. As you navigate, you need to know where your boundaries are. For example, if your core value is protecting the environment, you might encounter opportunities to save money that would harm it. In such cases, you would need to reconsider your decision to ensure it aligns with your values. This approach is particularly powerful when evaluating partnerships.
- What is your budget? There are many tools that can support us in achieving our goals, but sometimes too many options can leave us spread too thin. Whether you have a limited budget or not, you should always determine your strategy based on what will help you to achieve your goal fastest.
- Who should you be aligned with? This question becomes very valuable when paired with values. Also, is there an organization that is already reaching your target audience? If so, is there a way you could also support them? Maybe what you are offering gives them a fresh way to surprise and delight their target audience too. There are so many ways to create valuable cross-promotional partnerships.
- What is the proper order for rolling out your plan? In other words, what should you do first? For example, what is the easiest and fastest way to achieve your goals? Maybe one investment of time will support you in achieving a bigger budget for your next steps. There are infinite ways to roll out a plan. What will work best for you?
- Do you have the tools and partners in place to support you the most effectively? What is your team the best at and what other resources do you need to align with in order to achieve the greatest results? What parts will you handle yourself? What will you outsource? Playing on your strengths is often the most effective way to achieve your goals.
- How will you sustain your plan? What makes the most sense short-term and long-term and what do you need to do to get there? Even if you aren’t sure now, you will be amazed how quickly you can get clear when you ask empowering questions. For example, if you don’t know, simply ask yourself: Who knows how to do this? Who is doing this well and what are they doing? You will be surprised to know that you often have the answers when you are asked the right questions.
- How will you measure your progress and results? It’s not always as easy as looking at the bottom line.
At Olive, we love to support clients with this process. If you are noticing you are not achieving the same results with your strategy, please reach out, and we can work together to build a plan to best support you. We always start every engagement with a branding discovery process that guides us through these questions and more. At the end, we have a clear path to get you to your ultimate vision. If we don’t offer the services needed, we have a powerful group of partners we can recommend.