The Strategic Plan

Marketing on Monday: Five Objectives to Drive Your Business Growth

My first article in 2025 and perhaps the most motivating?

It's 2025. We have a fresh new year ahead and tons of opportunity; it’s the perfect time for reflection, recalibration, and forward-thinking. Recently, Late last year, I attended a fantastic presentation by Chris Owen CMIOSH , who inspired us to make pledges we make to ourselves—those conscious commitments we undertake to move closer to our goals but also remind us of what's important. Hearing Chris speak reaffirmed the importance of having clear objectives and building a purposeful professional or personal plan for growth.

Now is an ideal moment to set or refresh your business objectives. Here are five focus areas that I believe can propel your business forward in the coming year:

1. Strengthen Your Personal Brand

It’s often said that people buy from people. Whether you’re the face of your business or part of a larger organisation, remember that your personal brand matters. I built mine without really knowing that I was doing it. Now I take active steps to grow mine. By refining how you present yourself online, at networking events, or during pitches, you’ll build greater trust etc.

• Action Steps: Review your LinkedIn profile, update your professional headshots, and consider posting thought leadership pieces in your industry. If you're looking for a decent headshot photographer then speak to Toby Lee ?? Headshot Photographer .
• Key Pledge: Create a consistent message about who you are, what you believe in, and how you help your clients.

2. Invest in Systems and Automation

If you’re aiming for growth, you’ll need to scale. And that means exploring systems that save you time, reduce manual tasks, and ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

• Action Steps: Research CRM platforms, look into project management tools like Trello or Monday.com, and explore automation services such as Zapier. If you want help with this, we have our own CRM system called TomCRM.
• Key Pledge: Decide on at least one manual process that’s consuming too much of your time and automate it by the end of the first quarter in 2025.

3. Expand (or Revamp) Your Digital Footprint

From your website to your social media channels, your digital presence should speak to your target audience and reflect your unique personality or brand values.

• Action Steps: Conduct a website audit, ensuring it aligns with your offerings and is mobile-responsive. Consider adding fresh blog posts or utilising new platforms like TikTok for business. If you'd like us to do the audit, we'll do that for you. Simply reach out.
• Key Pledge: Commit to producing regular online content, whether weekly or monthly that showcases your expertise and keeps you top of mind.

4. Prioritise Client Relationships

No matter how good your product or service is, growth typically hinges on repeat business and referrals. If your service is like a lot of our legal clients - one sale and then unlikely to get repeat business for a few years, think about your service portfolio and how else you can support clients. Clients who feel valued and understood will not only return but will also tell others about your work and become brand advocates.

• Action Steps: Schedule one-to-one check-ins, send personalised thank-you notes, or hold client appreciation events. Leverage feedback to improve your processes and offerings.
• Key Pledge: Make it a priority to listen to your clients, adapt your products or services based on their needs—and be transparent about the changes you implement.

Finally, remember - it's five times easier to sell to an existing client than to bring on a new one. Find out where you can add value.

5. Make Space for Continuous Learning

You don't know what you don't know... and knowledge is the fuel for innovation and resilience. Whether you’re leading a start-up or heading a long-established organisation, continued learning will keep you competitive.

• Action Steps: Sign up for online courses, attend industry conferences, or organise training sessions for your team. Don’t forget to share these learnings with colleagues and clients—it’s part of building a strong personal brand.
• Key Pledge: Commit to attending (or hosting) at least one workshop or conference every quarter, and make notes on practical lessons you can apply directly to your business.

I used to work at the Society of Will Writers, and the motto of the College of Will Writing (their training arm) is: Your investment in knowledge is your key to success.

Further reflections on Chris Owen’s presentation

In his Business Club talk, Chris Owen spoke about the pledges we make to ourselves: promises that define our ambition, guide our decisions, and keep us accountable. As you set your five objectives for 2025, they'll give you something to hold yourself to account with. For me, it was a reminder that I started this business because of my Why and spending that time together with my family was key.

Ask yourself: Which of your pledges are you most excited to fulfil, and what might stand in your way? Identify the barriers now, and plan strategies to overcome them.

Planning for 2025

It's now time to put pen to paper. Outline your five objectives, give yourself deadlines, and consider which habits or resources will help you stay on track. Nothing beats the clarity and motivation that come from a solid roadmap, especially one aligned with your personal brand and professional ambitions, without forgetting your personal obligations play a key. I like to write mine down and revisit them regularly.

Remember, real growth doesn’t happen overnight—it’s an incremental journey achieved with consistent effort and thoughtful planning. An analogy I often use is that business growth is like climbing a ladder. We take it one rung at a time, and adding rungs onto the ladder takes pressure off bigger steps.