By Caterina Rando, MA, MCC
I love the new year! I love resolutions, and I love the optimism and possibility thinking that goes along with them. I have seen many times that they can work and believe in making them. Just like in your personal life you probably have some ideas for what you want to be different this year in your business. As you make resolutions and do your business planning for this year, apply these principles to ensure that your business is more solid, more prosperous and running smoother this time next year.
Know The Truth
Often times business owners make plans and set goals before they
have sat down and taken a good look at the truth of what really
happened in their business for the proceeding year. Do you know your
cost of goods sold or how many marketing dollars it takes to acquire
a new client? Can you say what percentage of your business is repeat
business? Are you aware of what percentage of your revenue was
generated by which products or services? These are just a few of the
many questions to answer to better formulate your goals and plans
for this year.
Be Optimistic
If you are a positive person, an optimist, you might even be
avoiding planning right now because you do not want to set any goals
because of you is afraid you might not achieve them due to the
current economic reality. Plan and set goals anyway.
Your attitude matters a great deal in business. Everyday, make sure you and everyone you work with has a positive disposition. It will result in more productivity and a better business experience. Hold the intention to be positive in the running of your business. You will feel better and have more fun.
Cultivate a Team
of Super Stars
To truly have a business breakthrough, most businesses would benefit
from focusing on this area. Are you happy with your webmaster, your
accountant, your strategic alliance partners, your business coach or
consultant? Can you say that they are doing a great job for you? If
you are not thrilled with everyone that helps you meet your business
objectives, then make a change. Finding good people who are experts
at what they do, who do their work with a positive attitude and who
genuinely care that you are successful, are the kinds of people you
want on your success team. Do not settle for less because you are
too busy to find someone better. It will be worth you’re the
investment of your time and attention.
Thinking and
Planning
Taking time for thinking and planning is key to moving your business
forward. Thinking and planning should be a daily success practice:
something you do everyday to have a productive day today, while also
moving you toward your longer-term goals. Find your optimal time for
thinking and planning. Both the beginning and the end of the day
work great. Choose one and stick with it.
Review Regularly
When I ask a client what there goal is for an area of their business
– sales, new clients, new products – and they have to find their
goal sheet or file before they can answer my question, I know they
are nowhere near their goal even before they respond. I have seen
this hundreds of times. You want to review your
mission/objectives/goals and plans at least daily – twice a day is
better. The more your goals are in your head as well as on paper,
the more momentum, focus and great ideas will flow to support you in
getting where you want to go.
Minimize The
Grabbing The Shiny Objects
One thing that happens when you are a successful business owner is
that everybody wants to partner with you, offer you a business
opportunity, share their latest venture with you and get you somehow
involved.
Even though sometimes you might say “yes,” learn to say “no.” Remain focused on what you have set out to do. These exciting opportunities can be considered if they are in alignment with your mission, vision and goals. You have to be diligent in determining if an opportunity is something that will help your move forward or if it is something that is clearly a distraction.
Follow The
Energy
Everything you do takes not only time, it also take physical energy,
and mental brainpower and focus. The more things on your plate, the
more mentally scattered you could feel. That’s why too many things
on your plate can be a deterrent to your business success.
The other thing about energy is that you want to pay attention to what in your business draws you. What you go to first, what you do with enthusiasm and what feels like a struggle or hard work.
Energy is a great assessment tool. Use it to determine the truth about where you should put your energy in your business and where you should take your energy and attention off to maximize your effectiveness.
Stay the Course
One of the great things about having your own business is that you
can change something in your business in an instant. You can add or
subtract a new product or service rather quickly.
This can sometimes be a big mistake. If you try something once and it is not a huge success, do not scrap it. Instead upgrade it from what you learned the first time and try it a couple more times to get a true read if it is right for your business. What have you done in the past that deserves another shot?
The Old Adage
Still Applies
There is a lot of talk about work less – make more, and ways to
build a profitable business in only a few hours a week. I love the
concepts and principles and they are worth exploring and applying to
your business as appropriate.
The old adage that there is no substitute for hard work still applies. Hard work still works. You do have to show up most of the time to accomplish what you want in your business. Hopefully, you love your work so much that there are times it feels more like a privilege then work. This is the place you want to get to. I mean, really how long can you lay on the beach with an umbrella beverage before it feels boring? I give it a week –maybe 10 days. Apply the principles outlined above and you will find that this time next year you are happier, wealthier and ready for your next resolution.
Caterina Rando, MA, MCC, shows
service-based business owners how to build profitable, sustainable
and thriving businesses. Caterina is the creator of the Business Breakthrough Coaching Programs.
Visit her website at www.attractclientswithease.com to listen to business building
teleclasses and find other resources. She can be reached at 415
668-4535 or via email at cat@attractclientswithease.com.