Do You Have A Plan?
I’m a planner. For years, when we’ve thought about going on vacation or embarking on an adventure, I’ve been the one to put together an itinerary. I’ll spend hours researching options, a million tabs open on my browser, and a desktop full of screenshots.
Some years I’ve been very detailed; other times it’s been a loose set of options. People, especially my kids, have given me grief about it, but the truth is, I like knowing where I’m going, what I’m going to be doing, and the hows to go with it. Having a plan allows me to settle in and enjoy the ride without constantly questioning what we’re doing and how it all fits in the bigger picture.
That desire for a plan, a roadmap that helps me see where I’m going, extends to my business. The pandemic threw all of us a curve ball, and while the finer details of our respective business plans may have changed as a result, I’m guessing your overall direction didn’t.
The move back to solopreneurship has opened the door for me to really take stock of where I am, what I want to create, and how I want to serve. A few weeks ago, I sat down in the Maui sunshine, armed with my laptop, a new notebook, and my favorite mechanical pencil (yep! I still use pencils), and really dug into the details. The process was eye-opening and helped me hone in on the actions I need to take in order to meet my larger goals.
If you’ve never done this or aren’t sure where to start, here are 6 steps to get you started.
Revisit your revenue.
Numbers don’t lie. Dig into your financial software and take a hard look at what revenue came in each month, the primary source, and where possible, see if you can determine what your marketing focus was that month? Did the two sync up and deliver the results you hoped?
After you’ve gone through the data, take a step back and determine what worked? What didn’t? Were there any surprises? What were the obstacles you ran into? Be brutally honest with yourself. Don’t try to rationalize the data. Use it for what it is - information that helps you adapt and grow.Dream and Design.
This is one of the best parts of the process because you get to dream! You get to decide what you want more or less of, who you want to work with and how you want to serve them, what you will and won’t tolerate, and how you want to bring it all to life.
You don’t need to be super detailed here. This is about dreaming and designing the life and business you really want.Lay out your business goals.
Once you have clarity on what you want it all to look like, you can start adding the details. What is your revenue target? What products and services will you offer? What is your pricing strategy? Where will you find new clients? What are the steps needed to bring each of these goals to life?
As you work through each of your goals, I encourage you to think about why it’s important to you? When you know what it will mean for you personally and/or professionally, the roots of that goal dig a little deeper.Identify the support you’ll need and how to measure success.
For each of those goals, who can help you cross the finish line? Are there any specific tools or resources you’ll need to simplify the process or amplify the work? Are new habits required? How will you measure your progress and ultimate success? What are the key metrics you need to track and how will you do it?
Develop your marketing plan.
You’ve got goals. You’ve got a plan. And now you have to show up, promote it, and invite people to work with you. It sounds easy on the surface, but a shotgun approach to marketing rarely works. And in the age of social media and loads of shiny objects, the tendency for distraction is high.
Having a cohesive plan for how you’re going to bring new people into your business, authentically connect and build relationships with them, and invite them to work with you is vital to your business success.Serve! Serve! Serve!
Creating a positive and powerful customer experience is essential. Research consistently shows that it’s easier to sell to current customers than it is to get a new, prospective client. So, creating an experience where clients feel seen, heard, and valued, and most importantly, get the results they really want, is just as critical as making the sale.
When was the last time you took a hard look at your business? At the numbers? At your client experience?
As we close out the year, I invite you to take stock of where you are and what you’ve created to date. If you’re not quite where you want to be, this is the time to dig in and get to work. We have two and a half months to go, and the time is right for you to go all in.
Meanwhile, I’ll be over here with my Excel spreadsheet and 50 internet tabs, planning for Winter Break and running my business.
