Don’t Just Plan For Your Future – Design It

Using aspirational design℠ to improve your brand + website.

Take a moment to imagine your business 3 years from now. Has it grown? Have you shifted into a new market? Will you be able to hire more employees? Or maybe it looks like more flexibility in your personal life, more travel, or bigger name clients?

Aspirational design℠ makes that possible.

We’re not talking pipe dreams here – your goals for your business are one of the most important things to think about as you make big decisions and interact with clients. Your goals are a BIG DEAL – it’s time to treat them that way.

Now… for a tough question. If I visited your website right now, would I be able to guess what your hopes and dreams for your business are?

If you have to give that too much thought, the answer is probably NO. Don’t feel bad… most people design their website based on where their business is at this moment. But if you’re promoting your business for what it is now, how will you ever attract the clients you want in the future?

Now is the time to stop dreaming and start making your goals a reality. Step out boldly. Embrace the huge potential of your business… now and years from now. Let’s get started!

Get clear on your future client’s needs.

If you’ve been in business for a while, you’ve got a pretty good handle on who your ideal client is. You’ve spent a good deal of time and effort honing in on where to find your target market + what you can offer them. That’s great.

Now it’s time to take it a step further. Try reflecting on these questions:

• What problems do your clients have (other than the need you are currently filling)?
• Are there other avenues of offering clients value within your current offerings?
• Could a shift in the format of your offers reach a broader audience?
• Are there other ideal clients out there that need the products or services you offer?

The goal here isn’t to reinvent the wheel or completely shift your business model. You’re getting clear on what your clients might need in the future – so you can plan for it.

How do *you* want to work?

Once you’ve thought about what your clients need now + in the future, it’s time to turn the tables and think about yourself. What do you want to do to help your clients? Do you want to offer classes? Write a book? Speak at conferences? Do you prefer to work with clients individually or in group setting?

You might be thinking, “Sure, I’d LOVE to speak at a conference, but organizers aren’t exactly beating down my door!” or “Me? Write a book? Sounds great, but I’m no expert.”

The thing is, we’re not talking about making plans for tomorrow. We’re talking about tapping into your longer-term goals for your business. Once you know where your heart lies in serving your clients well, you can start working towards the goals.

Sure, you might not be ready to lead large corporate groups in strategy sessions, but once you decide it’s something you’d like to do, you can start laying the foundation. Doubling down on selling individual strategy sessions, taking courses on group dynamics, etc. The key is identifying what you want to do in a concrete way so you can start making it happen… and set the groundwork with your client messaging.

Bring your website into alignment with this new vision.

People already know your work and come to you based on the reputation you’ve built up to this point. Unless you shift your website to reflect your expanded vision of the future, you’ll have trouble attracting the right people. The time to shift is NOW.

Elevate your messaging.

The language you use to tell your clients (and potential clients!) about your work tells them the value you’re offering them. Think strategically about how you’re presenting yourself. Make sure it aligns with your brand and your newly expanded vision.

For instance, if you hope to serve more high-end clients in the future, you may need to update your website with crisp, professional language and messaging that inspires confidence. If you’re hoping to delve into public speaking, make sure that your message and tone are designed to inspire and educate from the beginning.

Elevate your website design.

No matter what you identified as your business goals for the near future, a well-designed and executed website is essential for making that happen. Nothing turns off clients (now or in the future) like struggling to navigate a clunky website or not being able to get the information they need.

This goes beyond professionalism… or, really, even basic functionality. The hard, simple truth is this » Potential clients will judge your business immediately based on how they experience your website. Make sure that experience is attracting the business you aspire to.

Elevate your photography + images.

Ever been to the site of a well-known, thriving business and think, “Wow, this website would be great if it weren’t for the terrible images and stock photos?”

What? No? Of course, you haven’t! That’s because successful businesses take this stuff seriously… and so should you.

Look, I get it. Using professional photography and images are an investment. You might not think your current client base cares about this stuff. But your future clients certainly do. Setting yourself up for success means taking the leap and investing in your business now.

Design your business’ future.

What we’re talking about here is Aspirational Design℠ – bringing your website and marketing in line with where you want to be in the future. The businesses and thought leaders you admire most? They’ve all practiced some form of Aspirational Design℠. They created a vision for the future and went after it to make it happen. Isn’t it time you did the same?

Making your business goals come true is my jam. If you’re ready to start preparing to meet those future goals NOW, drop me a line and we’ll talk about how we can make that happen.