Hello again! I’ve been a bit M.I.A. for a while because I had my first child, a sweet baby boy, in December 2018. I spent about six months on maternity leave and slowly started ramping my business back up these last few months. I’m back into the full swing of client work, but (as you can see) I’m just now starting to get back into my email and social media marketing.
Back when I was planning for my career and family, I knew that being a mom would always be my main job and top priority in life. But I also recognized that I am the kind of person that needs a professional and creative outlet to be happy. This is one reason why I decided to start my business while working full time in 2016. I knew I’d ultimately want the flexibility that being self-employed could provide.
While on maternity leave, I took advantage of my time away from client work to reflect on where I want my business and career to go. This led me to make a few changes to my business, which I’d like to share with you below:
1. Amend services offered to provide more high-level, strategy-focused results for clients.
The process of studying, preparing for, and earning my APR helped me see how much I love the research and planning aspects of public relations. I truly believe in the power of public relations and wanted to make this my focus. Previously, I provided more digital marketing services. While I still think digital marketing is a key component to any PR campaign, I recognize that it’s a tactic that serves a larger PR goal – not one strategy on its own. You can learn more about my new services here.
2. Simplify business name from Odenwald Marketing Strategies to Odenwald Strategies.
Because of the previous change, altering the business name seemed essential. This revised name better reflects the services I provide and gives me more flexibility for any possible shifts down the road as well.
3. Hire a professional for rebrand of the business’s visual identity to reflect changes above.
When I first started my business, I created my own logo and visual identity. This time, I wanted fresh eyes and someone who specializes in logo design for the rebrand. I decided to work with Kelly from Witt and Company, and couldn’t be happier with the new look!
4. Continue client focus on nonprofits and small businesses.
Over the years I’ve debated if I should expand or shift my client niche, but I decided that ultimately, these are the groups I want to serve most. It’s a major reason for my business’s existence and is not something I want to change anytime soon.
I’m so glad I was able to take a step back and reflect, and I encourage you to do the same for your business or organization. A new year is fast approaching (2020, can you believe it?), so why not get a head start on your goal setting!
