Last week, we introduced the concept of 7 Habits of Highly Effective Marketers, based on the principles listed in Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. According to the best-selling author, each habit consists of a unique set of knowledge, skills and desires, which when practiced, contributes to personal and professional success. In this post, we’ll discuss Habit #2: Begin with the end in mind.

Habit #2: Begin With the End in Mind

What does it mean to “begin with the end in mind?” In marketing, we constantly stress the need for a plan. Without a written plan, companies fall prey to trial and error or end-to-end marketing. In other words, they execute tactics without a strategy. The foundation of this habit is goal setting—both short- and long-term. Next, make sure to identify and use metrics to measure successes, and to constantly revise goals, strategies and plans based on new challenges and needs. Sounds like basics, yet only 32% of B2B marketers say they have a documented marketing strategy. Sometimes starting the plan is the biggest challenge. How should you direct your marketing efforts? What goals make the most sense for you, your team and your company as a whole? This is where you look to the “end.” If you imagine your company’s vision or ultimate success, what would it look like? It’s much easier to forge a path to success when you know what success looks like.

Mission Possible

According to Covey, everything is created twice: there’s the initial blueprint and then the physical production. Before you can even consider creating a marketing blueprint, it is critical to understand your company’s values and drivers. After you’ve identified those goals, craft a mission statement. Your mission statement should capture the essence of what your firm considers important, what it aims to achieve and how it proposes to do so. It combines the vision of the company with the mission to get there. It highlights your organization’s values and sets its most high-reaching goal for all involved. 74% of employees revealed that they want a job where they feel like their work matters. Therefore, each department and employee should understand this mission statement and how their role contributes.

Review and Revise

Every cog in your plan needs to propel the organization toward its goals. If an initiative or task doesn’t align with your company mission statement, revise it or discard it. It’s easy to get distracted by competing priorities, corporate politics and unessential tasks. The key is to stay focused. While the end may be defined, the path isn’t always clear and there will be missteps along the way. Use those as learning tools to adjust and fine-tune your plan. Ensure that the short-term goals you accomplish or the deadlines you tackle contribute to the big picture.

Think Customer-Centric

The concept of beginning with the end in mind doesn’t only apply to internal plans and goal-setting. It applies to the services and products you provide to your customers. With any new client project or product development, do as Covey says and build it twice. First, develop a blueprint that reflects the perfect specimen or outcome and second, do everything possible to achieve it. The best way to identify the “ideal” is to understand your clients and target audience. Conduct research to understand their challenges and industry trends. At the same time, strive to maintain open and consistent communication with your customer base and potential prospects.

It may feel backwards, but the best place to start a race is at the finish line. In the same way that the climb down a mountain is easier than the initial trek up, knowing where the summit is can make the trip far shorter and less bumpy. Imagine what your ideal or utmost business goal is. What is the be-all and end-all for your company? Rather than blindly stabbing toward possible successes, decide which summit you’re headed for. Then create a plan to make that a reality.