This year at Red, I’m giving up some tried-and-true endeavors we’ve practiced for years. The kinds of places we’ve spent our money, felt good about it, and seen some relative success.

Why on earth would I do that? Because doing the same thing we’ve always done will get us the same result we’ve always gotten. This is not groundbreaking thinking by any means. But almost anyone can see how the comfort and ease of doing the same thing can create a sense of complacency.

It’s just so easy to reboot last year’s plan, isn’t it? I mean, it worked for you in the past. It’s sitting right there, just waiting for you to push the “go” button. It’s just so easy to say, “Let’s just go with what we did last year.”

Don’t do it. Don’t be lazy, or comfortable. And definitely don’t be this kid. Here’s why.

1. Do last year’s tactics really serve your long-term plan?

A good long-term strategy looks to achieve incremental growth and progress. This begs the question: are the tactics that got you from Point A to Point B still effective for getting you to Point C? Often, the answer is no.

In being honest about Redhead’s growth, I realized some of our endeavors were not marketing to the right audience. They were fun, but the same successes in the same places just get us … more of the same.

And to be brutally honest, some were serving our ego rather than our bottom line.

2. Media changes, you should too.

Sure, no one is going to abandon tried-and-true channels. For you, that might be social media, or outdoor, or donor development. But it’s worth examining how those channels have changed and how you should be changing with them. The key here is to avoid complacency—to take a hard look at your schedules, the quality of your creative, the purpose of your words. Your tone, aesthetic, overall message. Audiences get bored fast. Don’t forget that.

Last year, one of Red’s interns gently told me some of our internal work was looking a little tired. She was right. We had become complacent. (Pro tip: listen when your people say such things.)

3. By now, your competitors have caught up with you.

Your competitors and emulators have caught up with whatever you did last year. Did you do some really smart marketing in 2017? Give it a few months, and you’ll see your influence in their marketing. Which means you have to be smart and work hard and come up with your next great plan.

Pertinent example from our studio: Midway through the year, a young local designer mentioned how much he enjoyed a piece we developed, and how he studied it to inform the work he was doing. We were flattered; this is how the creative world works. But you know what? This year he’ll be producing work that is just as good. So, if we want to be breakthrough, we can’t be caught recycling last year’s great ideas. Also, why would we want to?

Alright. This post is a little bit about exposing where Red is working harder and a little bit about sharing how you can do it better in your organization. The long and short of it: look at your marketing and all of your brand outreach. Is what you’re doing now enough to serve your long-term plan? Or is it a rehash of what’s been comfortable in the past? If your honest answer is the latter, it’s time to get moving.

Postscript:

Wait, you don’t have a long-term plan? 

The one reason you should blindly recycle last year’s plan is if you have not adequately built a long-term marketing strategy. If this is you, go ahead and hit the go button, but do it with awareness and with the commitment that this will be the last time you make that lazy decision.

Next, commit to spending this year building a strategy for the next five years, with your growth goals in mind. You’ve got time. Use this quarter to prepare for the work: Find a consultant or partner to help. Reallocate funds for planning (which might mean scaling back your recycled plan). Q2 & Q3 will be the hard work—formulating your long-term goals and building the plan. This might mean reviewing your placement strategy or developing better creative and goal-oriented messaging. It might even mean paying someone to help you, because you probably already have a full load for the year, if we’re being honest.

In Q4, solidify budget and make sure your assets are ready. Make sure your calendar is on point. Secure the paid channels and the partners you need. Recruit and excite internal audiences.

In doing so, you’ll have used this year well and you’ll be working toward a powerful, strategic future.