Pause before you plan! Why reflection is an underrated part of your marketing strategy.
As the year edges to a close, it’s easy to feel the pressure to “get planning”. But in all honesty, you might not be feeling ready.
Maybe it’s been a tough year and you’re limping to the finish line. You might be feeling tired, foggy, not sure whether you’ve done enough or even what your next steps should be. You might have had great success, but you’re not sure how to replicate it.
It doesn't matter if this has been a year of growth, stagnation, multiple detours or a complete 180 - you'll have gathered valuable insight that can shape your future marketing and how you run your business.
This is where reflection becomes so valuable
I’m not just talking about a sentimental look back at the year, but deep, deliberate reflection. The kind that helps you make sense of where you are, what’s changed and what matters most.
Including a year-end reflection in your marketing strategy helps you see things more clearly so you can move forward without wasting time, money or effort on marketing that isn’t worthwhile.
This process isn’t self-indulgent or a luxury - it might be the missing link! Because a plan that isn’t grounded in an honest assessment of where you are starting from rarely sticks.
Why planning without reflection doesn’t work
When clients come to me, they’re often overwhelmed.
They have so many ideas floating round their heads, they’re tired of asking themselves the same questions, of feeling scattered, foggy or pulled in a million different directions at once.
When you’re feeling that way, it’s tempting to “do more”, to push ahead with a plan just to get something down on paper.
But without pausing to reflect, planning becomes just another thing that adds pressure and if planning comes from a place of pressure, comparison or depletion, you’re going to carry that energy into the New Year.
That’s why the reflection stage is so powerful. It helps you review, reset and reconnect with what really matters to you. It stops you from carrying old habits, expectations or strategies into a year where they no longer belong.
So instead of forcing clarity, we pause
Because clarity comes from stopping, from noticing and from listening - without pressure, without filters and without judgement. Clarity begins with reflection.
And the beauty is your brain loves this kind of pause. It helps you tap into your inner wisdom and make sense of your experience, rather than just react to it.
How to reflect on your marketing: facts + feelings
If your plans aren’t rooted in how you actually want to feel in your business, they’ll be hard to stick to, no matter how SMART they look on paper.
When reflecting on your year consider:
Metrics and milestones - what do the facts, figures and stats tell you about your performance this year
Energy and enjoyment – how did you feel in your business this year and what impact did that have
Because your brain doesn’t just store what happened, but also how it felt. When you take time to notice the moments that felt energising or draining, fun or awkward, you’re accessing the kind of insight that numbers alone can’t give you.
And that emotional honesty is just as important. When you combine the two, you uncover the deeper insights that make your next steps not just strategic, but manageable (and even fun!).
Step into the New Year with clarity, not pressure
Before you start mapping out next year’s strategies, timelines or goals, give yourself the gift of completion. Create space to tie up loose ends, reflect on what mattered and clear the slate before you step into the next chapter.
Maybe you don’t need a brand new strategy for the New Year, maybe you need space to integrate what you already know.
Want support with this?
If you’re ready to pause before you plan, I’m hosting a free 5-day coaching experience to guide you through a simple, but powerful, end-of-year reflection process.
Over the 5 days I'll be sharing prompts, reflections and ideas to help you take stock of 2025 and set clear, aligned intentions for 2026.
We’ll look at the year through five key lenses - Contribution, Clarity, Confidence, Consistency and Connection - so you can start 2026 feeling grounded, clear and confident in how you market your business
