Grow or die?

January is the goal-setting month. But, the truth is, most companies don't do it very well.

They look at their numbers (gross sales, # of employees, profit margins, etc) and with a mix of industry knowledge and wild assed guess – they project a percentage increase.

We will increase our gross billings by 7% and our profits (through additional efficiencies) by 10%.

And then they scramble to figure out how to get that done.

Sound familiar?

How are we defining growth?

We've all heard the phrase "grow or die." But maybe grow doesn't mean grow bigger. Maybe it means grow better. Move from good to great. Refine and define your brand. And then figure out how you are actually going to live and honor it.

Jay Ehret wrote a very smart post about this topic at his excellent blog, The Marketing Spot. Please make time to read it.

So if you're still with me – answer these questions.

How do you grow better in 2009?

Define (if you haven't) or revisit (if you already have defined) your brand. How are you actually bringing it to life?

How are you going to invest in your employees this year? How will you get the brand from your brain to their hearts?

How can you involve your customers in your pursuit of better?

What do you think? Could this be the year you get better? If so…how did you answer some of the questions above?