The Strategy Hour Podcast: Systems and Marketing for Service-Based Businesses with Boss Project
Episode 921: How to Get More Done in 12 Weeks Than Most Do All Year
Release Date: January 28, 2025
Host: Abagail Pumphrey, Business Strategist and Co-Founder & CEO of Boss Project
Introduction to the 12 Week Year Framework
Abagail Pumphrey kicks off Episode 921 by introducing the concept of the "12 Week Year," a productivity framework designed to help businesses achieve what typically takes a year in just 12 weeks. This approach emphasizes focused sprints over traditional annual plans, fostering urgency and clarity in business operations.
"Imagine accomplishing a year's worth of goals in just 12 weeks. That's exactly what we're setting out to do here at Boss Project." [00:00]
Why Shift from Annual Goals to 12-Week Sprints?
Abagail shares her personal journey of moving away from traditional goal-setting. A few years prior, she ceased setting long-term goals due to the unpredictability of business outcomes and the emotional toll of potential failures.
"I wasn't setting financial goals. I wasn't setting goals and objectives for my business... I felt like the goal at the front end was not something I ultimately could make happen." [00:00]
Instead of annual goals, her team adopted an experimental approach, treating business objectives as hypotheses to be tested and adjusted based on results. This shift allowed for a more flexible and less pressure-filled environment, focusing on process rather than outcomes.
Discovering and Implementing the 12 Week Year
Abagail discovered the "12 Week Year" through a TikTok recommendation and decided to implement it in January after overcoming personal and professional challenges, including a family health crisis.
"This approach creates urgency and focus and allows you to really see what's coming in a very clear and tangible way." [00:00]
She emphasizes that while the concept is simple to understand, executing it effectively requires dedication and strategic planning. The framework involves setting objectives that can be fully achieved within a 12-week period, allowing for regular reassessment and adjustment.
Setting Up the 12-Week Plan in Boss Project
To integrate the 12 Week Year, Abagail did not impose strict directives on her team. Instead, she empowered each member to choose their own 12-week objectives based on their roles and the business's overarching goals. This autonomy ensures that team members are motivated and aligned with their personal strengths and interests.
"You're going to pick different objectives, you can pick different goals, you can have different ways to measure success. All of that can change. 100% of it can change at the end of 12 weeks." [00:00]
Abagail’s Personal Focus for the 12 Weeks
Abagail outlines her primary focus for the upcoming 12 weeks: transforming Boss Project’s most popular products into evergreen offerings through paid advertising to ensure profitability. This includes:
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Running a Live Challenge:
Abagail plans to launch a live challenge aimed at increasing signups, with the expectation that higher engagement will drive sales organically."If we get this level of signups it's going to have a trickle effect and I have the most opportunity for impact to those sales goals by focusing on signups for the challenge itself." [00:00]
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Creating Evergreen Ads for Primary Products:
She intends to develop and implement evergreen advertising campaigns for two of Boss Project’s top products, targeting consistent daily sales and driving traffic to the sales pages."Our paid ad strategy is my primary focus. If something has to drop, this isn't it." [00:00]
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Optimizing Traffic and Conversion Rates:
By analyzing past traffic and conversion data, Abagail aims to set precise daily targets for views and sales to achieve a 2 to 3x return on ad spend, ensuring sustainable growth."What I want is daily evergreen sales from paid ads... and I know exactly how many daily sales I want and how many daily people I want to see join the co-op as a result." [00:00]
Overcoming Challenges: Procrastination and Focus
Abagail candidly discusses her struggle with procrastination, not stemming from a lack of motivation or care, but from the overwhelming nature of significant tasks. The 12 Week Year framework helps mitigate this by breaking down large goals into manageable weekly actions, fostering consistent progress.
"Only 8% of people actually achieve their annualized goals. But when people talk about sprints, a short-term focus absolutely increases the success rate like pretty dramatically." [00:00]
Execution Strategy: Weekly Planning and Accountability
Central to the 12 Week Year is meticulous weekly planning. Abagail emphasizes the importance of defining specific tasks each week that contribute to the overarching 12-week objectives. This structured approach ensures that progress is measurable and adjustments can be made promptly.
"You're literally saying, I want to make this bigger objective happen. Here's the work I need to do to support that happening." [00:00]
Team Collaboration and Communication
Abagail integrates this framework into team meetings by dedicating time to discuss weekly objectives and their completion status. This fosters a culture of accountability and allows for real-time problem-solving and support among team members.
"At the end of our meeting, we talk about our primary objectives in order. And so if there's any sort of misalignment on the things we're working on, that's where we bring it up." [00:00]
Additionally, she conducts monthly one-on-one meetings with team members to ensure personalized support and address any evolving needs or challenges.
Leveraging Data and Flexibility
Tracking progress through data is fundamental to the 12 Week Year. Abagail underscores the importance of monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the effectiveness of strategies and make necessary adjustments without hesitation.
"Data doesn't lie. If something's not working, I'm not worried about it not working. If you're doing the work, you're doing the work. If it's not working, you need to tweak it and keep going." [00:00]
She also highlights the need for flexibility within the plan, allowing for adjustments based on unforeseen circumstances or new insights gained during the execution phase.
Innovative Upsell Strategies in Paid Advertising
Abagail discusses her unique approach to upselling within paid advertising campaigns. Unlike the conventional method of directing customers to higher-end offers, she tests alternatives such as trial periods, which have shown impressive conversion rates.
"We're going to test an upsell that is a higher end upsell and then we're also going to test the trial. We're going to do both." [00:00]
This dual strategy aims to maximize customer lifetime value by offering varied paths for engagement and purchase, ensuring that different customer preferences are catered to effectively.
Encouraging Listeners to Adopt the 12 Week Year
Towards the end of the episode, Abagail encourages listeners to adopt the 12 Week Year framework in their own businesses. She provides actionable steps, such as reading the book "The 12 Week Year" and utilizing AI tools for brainstorming and strategy refinement.
"If you're ready to try the 12 week year for yourself, it doesn't matter that we're into January. That's okay. You can pick 12 weeks of objectives and start now." [00:00]
Additionally, she invites listeners to share their plans and progress on social media, fostering a community of accountability and mutual support.
Conclusion and Call to Action
Abagail wraps up the episode by reiterating the benefits of the 12 Week Year and sharing her optimism about the outcomes it will bring to Boss Project. She promises to update listeners on the progress and results of her 12-week plan in future episodes.
"I look forward to seeing all that you accomplish and I can't wait to share what our team has done and also how the rest of my team is doing on their own goals when I report back." [00:00]
She also requests listeners to support the podcast by sharing the episode, joining the VIP list, and leaving ratings and reviews to help grow the community and sustain the show's quality content.
Key Takeaways:
- Adopt Short-Term Focus: Transition from annual goals to 12-week sprints to enhance urgency and clarity.
- Empower Your Team: Allow team members to set their own objectives within the framework to boost motivation and ownership.
- Plan Weekly Actions: Break down goals into specific weekly tasks to ensure consistent progress and accountability.
- Leverage Data: Regularly track and assess performance metrics to inform strategy adjustments.
- Stay Flexible: Be prepared to tweak plans based on data insights and changing circumstances.
- Innovate in Marketing: Experiment with unique upsell strategies to maximize customer engagement and revenue.
- Community Support: Engage with a supportive community for accountability and shared learning.
By implementing the 12 Week Year framework, Abagail Pumphrey illustrates a transformative approach to business strategy that prioritizes focused action, data-driven decisions, and adaptive planning, ultimately driving substantial growth and sustainability for service-based businesses.