Goal Setting

culled from:brucemayhewconsulting.com

1. Make planning a regular event

Set aside time once or twice each year for a big planning session, and then each week for ongoing work. It’s vital if you want your business to grow. Business planning lets you take stock of what worked and what didn't work, and helps you adjust your direction and take advantage of new opportunities as they become available. Not only will this help you stay on track to achieve (or exceed your goals), but you'll likely feel more focused and relaxed.

2. Always work on your marketing plan

Too often the task of promoting a small business slips to the bottom of the to-do list. The simple fact is that if you want your business to grow and for you to attract new customers you have to make marketing and promotion a priority. Plan to hire a marketing expert that will help you understand your Unique value Proposition, Core Competencies and target your best customers with a strategic, relevant and well branded custom marketing strategy.

3. Delegate

There are lots of things to do when you have your own business, and you don’t need to do all of them. Focus on the areas of your business that you can apply your expertise and then delegate the ones that are furthest away from that expertise (like the bookkeeping). By choosing to let others do non-critical, lower paying chores you can have more time to spend doing higher paid tasks… and spending time on personal / family obligations.

4. Take classes and/or attend conferences

I love taking continuing education classes. Sometimes I take business related courses; other times I take courses that I simply find interesting. What you choose is up to you. Taking classes or attending conferences may also open you up to meet people who may become mentors, colleagues or customers.

5. Join a business organization or networking group

There's nothing like talking to and learning from other business people. Not only will you be increasing your professional and personal network, being with other professionals will help you identify new opportunities and give you new ideas. It will also get you out of your house / office.

6. Give something back to your community

There are all kinds of worthy organizations that make a difference in your community and it’s pretty easy to identify one that matters to you and your family. Perhaps you will choose to give a percent of your revenue (you might even use that as an expression of goodwill on your corporate website “5% percent of sales will go to…..). Or perhaps you make a commitment to serve on a committee or help out on your child’s sports team (and therefore kill two birds with one stone). I find, the more I give the more I get back in so many other ways.

7. Schedule the BIG things in your calendar

You are one of the BIG things. It’s important to take the time to recharge and refresh yourself and your relationships with loved ones. A best practice is to take your upcoming schedule and block off “personal time and vacations” before your schedule becomes booked. Then, stick to your commitments. If you won't invest in yourself, who will?

8. Stop what's not working and move on

All products aren't going to be top sellers and all suppliers, contractors or employees aren't going to be ideally suited to your business. If something isn't working, let it go. Don't invest time, energy, money and resources into trying to make the unworkable workable. Move on. Once a conflict is out of the way, you will be amazed how much better every other component of your business & life are.