Lessons Learned from 2021

At the end of the year, our BlueByrds like to reflect on the last 12 months and recap what we learned.  

Last year, we wrote about how 2020 forced everyone to get out of their comfort zones in order to grow. We were able to carry over that sentiment in 2021, and thankfully it enabled us to have an amazing year in business. We added two Fractional CMO’s to our team and took on multiple new clients in a variety of industries. Interestingly, BlueByrd is now servicing clients in the business-to-consumer space. Don’t worry; we still nerd out with our B2B customers, but we had to give B2C a little love as well.

As we wrap up 2021 and dive into the coming new year, we’ll carry what this fast-paced year taught us and carry those insights into 2022. Reflection is important and we hope you enjoy hearing from our team.

BlueByrd Richard:

Lesson #1: Waiting until the market improves is a terrible marketing strategy.

During the pandemic, we saw many companies sit on the sidelines thinking they would conserve cash and wait for the market to turn around. That turned out to be a poor strategy because while they were waiting for things to get better, their competitors were actively addressing their markets and attempting to grow their business. Guess which companies fared best? That’s right: The companies that waited were caught flat-footed when the market turned, and the companies that took a proactive approach hit the upswing of the market and experienced significant growth.

BlueByrd Shannon:

Lesson #2: Take care of yourself so you can serve others better.

This year was an absolute blur for me. Maybe it had something to do with me having a baby in June, but it seemed like everyone was scrambling. I can think of 20 people off the top of my head that were 10 times busier than usual this year. Last year felt like we were all moving in slow motion with uncertainty, and so many companies had to put initiatives on hold. So when the engines started running again this year, a lot of us really burned the midnight oil working from sunup to sundown … particularly those who started new jobs. So what did I learn from all this hustle and bustle? To be your best self and provide the best work for others, you have to serve yourself first. Make sure you are getting that R&R time. It sounds selfish, but at the end of the day, it's not. It really does provide a better quality of work. I like to clear my head with morning walks or listening to podcasts. What do you do to stay fresh and ready to think?  

BlueByrd Ian:

Lesson #3: It’s important to have a team to support yourself.

I've worked on "islands" where I was the only one doing what I was doing and had little in the way of challenging my ideas or constructive conflict. Having a close team of smart people – even if they're not marketing experts – to bounce ideas off of and ask, "Does this work?" is crucial to good work and improvement. Without it, there's no check on the perspective of a solo person and no way to build on a core idea.

BlueByrd Katie:

Lesson #4: Doing nothing in the midst of uncertainty and fear is dangerous, if not suicidal.

The world is now in full-blown recovery mode, but sadly, many companies didn’t make it or are still struggling. Those that paralyzed their marketing efforts in 2020 are playing catch up in 2021, and those that continued to invest are now ahead of the competition. One of our clients that invested heavily in marketing during the pandemic allowed us to help them aggressively pivot their strategy in 2020. As a result, they experienced seven consecutive record-breaking months this year and are far outpacing their competition.

BlueByrd Betty:

Lesson #5: Success is not guaranteed.

There are many actions you can take to help increase your chances of success. The key is to get up when you fail and continue working toward your goal.

You heard it here first. Success is not guaranteed, self-love is necessary to serve others better, teams are critical, waiting on the market to improve doesn’t work, and doing nothing will cause you to get left behind. We have so many other insightful, award-winning blogs from 2021. Check them all out here.