Starting and building a business is a constant cycle and hard work. It all starts with an idea; it is essential that the idea then creates business growth. I have met many entrepreneurs that have a wonderful idea but when it comes to fully putting that idea into play, they are challenged. Each of us has a different way of thinking. Some are visionaries so they can see the big idea and feel what it will be like once accomplished but actually taking the step-by-step approach to accomplish the goal is difficult. While other entrepreneurs may be great at the day-to-day work in the business but creating new ideas for growth may be difficult. Determining a focused strategy is essential.
As an example, if I want to launch a new program, first I have to create it, but it isn’t enough just to create the program because I also have to market the program. What is my strategy behind that? Is it social media? Is it a podcast? Videos? Is it a combination of those? That is simply the strategy but I also have to break it down into more manageable pieces or action steps in order to get it all done. My plan may look extensive by the time I write it all out even though my ultimate goal is only to launch a new program and build business with it.
Follow these three steps to continue to create and build the business of your dreams.
- Set Goals:
- Goals should be measurable and time specific. For example, if I am going to launch a new program then I need to set a date to launch it and work backwards in determining all of the steps that are needed. Once I accomplish the goal of launching the program then I also want to set goals on how many new clients I am going to achieve in a certain timeframe.
- Determine the Strategies:
- Goals are great but we have to use strategies to accomplish our goals. If I have a goal to launch a new program, then what are the strategies to accomplish that goal? A strategy describes how the ends (goals) will be achieved by the means (resources).
- Action Steps:
- Once I know the strategies needed, I can break those down into concrete action steps that I can start accomplishing immediately. While the end goal may be three months away, I can slowly chip away at my action steps several days each week. This in turn helps me accomplish my strategies to then accomplish the goal.
Setting goals is essential in any business. While I typically recommend doing an annual plan with goal setting, it also depends on where you are in the business. If you are just starting the business that may feel overwhelming so you can also break those goals into quarterly goals and after the first quarter, create the next quarter’s goals. For those of us who create annual goals, we are still breaking those down across the whole year. If something major interrupts your business (like all of us are experiencing the pandemic right now) you can always revise your goals and strategies. Goals, strategies and action steps are dynamic but that doesn’t mean you should lose focus and get behind. Sometimes we need an accountability partner, so we know exactly what needs to happen and how to make it happen. That might be a fellow business owner, business coach, consultant or someone else who will hold you to your goals and timelines.
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