Why Finishing 2025 Strong Means Asking the Right Questions

You don’t need a 12-week sprint or another overcomplicated strategy to finish the year with purpose. What you need is clarity—both from God and from the people you’re here to serve.

In this episode of Her Faith at Work, we’re talking about one of the simplest yet most powerful tools you can use in Q4: a short, intentional survey. This isn’t about marketing gimmicks or fancy tech. It’s about asking the right questions, listening well, and aligning your next steps with both heaven and your audience.

If you’ve ever wondered how to serve your people better while setting yourself up for 2026, this conversation is for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why asking God comes before asking your audience
• How to keep surveys simple (3 minutes or less!)
• The exact questions you can ask to get clarity on your people’s needs
• How to interpret responses without chasing every new idea
• Practical ways to take action on feedback now — not someday
• Why partnering with a coach or biz bestie multiplies results

Timestamps

• 00:00 – A “False Fall” story and why seasons matter in business
• 04:30 – Why asking God is your first step in planning
• 09:00 – How to keep surveys ridiculously simple
• 15:00 – What to do with your audience’s answers
• 19:30 – Taking action on one thing to finish aligned

A Small Survey Can Shift Everything

Your audience’s needs may have shifted since the last time you checked in. By asking just a handful of intentional questions, you’ll discover patterns that reveal where they need your help most right now. That insight allows you to:

• Refocus your content strategy
• Confirm (or pivot) your next offer
• Build momentum into 2026 with peace and clarity

This isn’t about doing everything people ask for—it’s about aligning their needs with God’s leading for your business.

Key Takeaways

• Finishing strong isn’t about hustle—it’s about alignment.
• Ask God first, then ask your people.
• Keep surveys short, heartfelt, and easy to answer.
• Look for patterns, then bring them back to prayer.
• Act on one thing with simplicity and faithfulness.

Your Next Step

👉 Take MY business survey?

Skip the overwhelm and let me help you make it happen. Inside the Business Basics Collab, we’ll actually build your survey together—so you can check this off your list and head into 2026 aligned, focused, and confident.

Learn more at JanTouchberry.com/collab.

Resources Mentioned

• Google Forms (free) or Typeform for surveys
• Instagram Story polls for quick audience insights
• Episode 83: How To Plan Q4 well
• Business Basics Collab

Let’s Connect!

Share your favorite takeaways from this episode on Instagram and tag me @jantouchberry.

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Episode 84: How One Small Survey Can Help You Finish the Year with Purpose and Alignment

Opening:

Okay, it got me! We have something here in Texas called “False Fall”. It’s the 3 days a year that the weather looks like it is changing from being “the face of the sun” to “hoodie heaven is back.” It is glorious! I’m over here living my best life in my favorite hoodie – I even contemplated a hot beverage instead of my normal iced. But no… Summer is back.

Insert the heaviest of sighs here. But you know what… the weather didn’t ask me what I wanted. It didn’t take into consideration that I am DONE and have moved on with the whole short-sleeved shirt, sweating when I walk out the door thing. While there is a time and a place for every season (the Bible tells me so) – I’m ready for something else. Something new. Something that is more suited to my needs currently.

And guess what… while the weather apparently couldn’t care less about what I need – this little analogy applies to our customers and their seasons in life and business as well. And we CAN care what they need. AND we can do something about it.

So today, we are going to explore how we can use q4 to do just that. Lets go!

[INTRO]

And this week? We’re taking it one step deeper.

Because finishing the year strong isn’t just about checking off your to-do list. It’s about making sure you’re still serving the people God has called you to serve the way he is calling you to serve them right now. And you can’t do that if you’re only planning in your own head.

I don’t know about you, but as a visionary – I am always coming up with new ideas and if I am not careful – the squirrels take me nut hunting and before I know it, I have gotten myself off-track and sometimes lost. So, I have to be very intentional to ask the Lord if the new ideas are:

1. From him

2. Are they for now

Now don’t panic. This is not about running some massive marketing survey or spending a lot of money on fancy tools. I’m going to give you a super simple way to check in with your audience, hear their real needs, and let that feedback shape how you serve in Q4 — and very probably how you set up your business for 2026.

Sound good? OK. Let’s dive in!

PART 1: Ask God First

Before you ask your audience anything, I want you to ask the Lord.

I heard a podcast with Jaime Winthrop a while back and he said any time he prays, he asks the Lord these 2 questions… Lord, What do you want me to know and what do you want me to do. I just LOVE that!

So, why reinvent the wheel. Take some time this week and sit quietly with these questions: What do you want me to know and what do you want me to do?

• “Lord, what are You asking me to build?”

• “Who am I here to serve in this season?”

• “What do You want me to know about where to focus my energy?”

Why does this matter? Because without that spiritual alignment first, you run the risk of going nut hunting with the squirrels and chasing opinions instead of stewarding purpose. God might be calling you to deepen what you’re already doing, or He may be opening a new door — and you won’t know unless you ask Him first.

That quiet moment with the Lord becomes your filter for the feedback you’re about to receive. Not every idea or suggestion needs to be followed. But you do need to be listening.

PART 2: Ask Your People Next

Now that you’ve aligned with heaven, it’s time to tune into earth. Get out of your head, off the whiteboard, and into a conversation with your actual audience.

Here’s the reality: your people’s needs may have shifted since the last time you checked. And if you’re planning content, offers, or strategy without their input? You might be creating solutions for a problem they don’t even have anymore.

Let’s keep this ridiculously simple.

Who to Ask:

• Current clients

• Past clients

• Your email list

• Engaged social followers (especially those who watch your stories or DM you)

How to Ask:

• A simple Google Form (FREE) or Typeform if you already have that paid service

• Instagram Story poll or question box (this works really well if your people are engaged with you on IG)

• A short email with a single, heartfelt ask

• Or just slide into a few DMs with a genuine, “Hey, I’d love your input on this...”

What to Ask: Keep it short. Pick 4-6 questions (10 super max). You want clarity, not overwhelm. And it should seriously only take them about 3 minutes to complete.

Here are a few prompts to swipe:

• What’s one thing you’re still trying to figure out before the end of this year?

• If I offered a new resource, coaching session, or workshop, what would help you most right now?

• What kind of support feels most aligned for you right now? (1:1, group, self-paced, something else?)

• What topic do you wish more Christian entrepreneurs were talking about?

Pro tip: to get more answers, offer a drawing for a small gift card of some kind for the people who finish the survey. AND it is super helpful if you have taken your own survey. Not only can you test the funnel to make sure everything works correctly for a good user experience (I know – I should take my own advice more there. I always kick myself when I cut that corner) but also, you know about how long it will take them to complete. Remember you are shooting for 3 minutes or less and you can tell them that when you reach out.

“I have taken my own survey and it took me exactly 2 minutes and 47 seconds.”

PART 3: What to Do With Their Answers

So you’ve asked. You got some responses. Now what?

Step 1: Look for Patterns Highlight anything that pops up more than once. You’re looking for themes, pain points, or desires that are repeated. Patterns = gold. That’s clarity.

Step 2: Bring It Back to Prayer Seriously. Don’t skip this. Lay those insights at the feet of Jesus and ask the 2 questions: What do you want me to know? What do you want me to do?

• "Lord, what are You saying through these answers?"

• "What aligns with what You’ve already shown me?"

You’re not obligated to do everything people ask for. That bears repeating! You’re not obligated to do everything people ask for. But you are responsible to respond to God’s promptings in light of the people He’s entrusted to you.

Step 3: Find a Partner in This Do you have a coach or a business bestie that you can partner up with in this little project? Let me tell you what I mean and why I think it’s important.

You have heard me say it before - we are to close to our own genius. Sometimes a fresh set of eyes will see things that we are missing.

So, if you have a coach or a friend that would be willing to partner up with you on this little project, it will make it more fun and likely net you better results.

• Share this episode with them

• Have coffee and talk about your businesses (hope, dreams, disappointments, desires for the future). It helps to not be in it alone.

• Make a plan to do your surveys

• Then when you have the data – trade. Look over each others survey results and make another coffee date to discuss. Hopefully by that time false fall will have turned into real fall and you can sit out on a nice patio somewhere and enjoy all the pumpkin spice things that this season ushers in. (cue the angels singing)

Step 4: Last but not Least - Take Action on ONE Thing You are not going to try to overhaul your whole business. What’s one thing you can act on now?

• Maybe it’s re-sharing a piece of content that you’ve already created that directly answers what they need.

• Maybe it’s a quick bonus training or podcast episode.

• Maybe it’s validating your next paid offer.

The goal isn’t to impress. The goal is to serve. And sometimes the most faithful thing you can do is show up with clarity and simplicity.

Closing Encouragement

Friend, you don’t need a 12-week planning sprint or a fancy strategy day. You need connection. With God. With a business bestie. With your people. And with what actually matters in THIS season.

So here’s your gentle challenge:

• Ask God.

• Ask your people.

• Take one step based on what you hear.

If you feel like you need a little extra help getting this survey implemented, you should consider jumping into my Business Basics Collab at the end of this month. Among other things… We will actually build the survey together and get it out into the world.

Please know that I’m cheering for you always. And come back next week, because we’re going to talk about how to build momentum through the end of the year and still being able to enjoy the holiday season.

Until then — keep going, friend. You are faithful. You are equipped. And you are not alone.

[Outro Music]