People will spend countless hours planning for one week of their year, their vacation. They may even spend months planning where they will go, when they will arrive, what they will wear, what they will do while they are there, who will go with them, how much they will spend, and when they will return. They will hire experts to make the arrangements, give them advice, and ensure they are getting the most for their money. Yet they will leave the other 51 weeks of their year (their life) to chance. It’s time to stop leaving your business, your livelihood, to chance. Your life is too precious. You, your products and services are too valuable. Your quality of life is too important to merely show up and hope for the best every day.
It’s time to write a plan and create your success in business just like you create the experience you want on your vacation.
I’m not talking about some cookie cutter business plan you download, fill in the blank and print to give to a banker or someone who requests it. I’ve seen hundreds of them. The 100 page useless, dusty, space taking binder sitting on the desk, or buried in the office. The one with fancy bars and graphs to show potential. Potential that’s never achieved because the plan wasn’t their plan for success. It was their document to look like or feel like they would be successful. Or just something they did because someone told them they should have a business plan. Or it’s a 10 year plan and seems too overwhelming and time consuming to accomplish. Worthless.
I’m talking about a step by step, what must I do to make by business successful one goal at a time plan. It can be as simple as one page.
Here are a few keys to writing your mini business plan and using it as a road map (because that’s what a business plan is) to achieve success.
- Keep it simple. You won’t even attempt it if it seems too challenging.
- Set one goal. You’ll have something to work toward every day. Otherwise you’ll just show up and let the day run you.
- Write down the things that need to happen to reach your goal. Breaking it down into small steps makes it achievable.
- Designate who’s responsible for each action. You may need to do it all. But then again you may have an employee, friend, peer, or colleague, who can get it done for you!
- Set a target date of completion for each step. This will help outline the time frame, set expectations, and help you stay on track.
- Schedule time on your calendar to do the things that need to happen. If it doesn’t get scheduled it’s not going to happen.
- Do the things!
- Mark it done once you’ve accomplished it. Begin to track and see your progress!
- Wash
- Rinse
- Repeat
I’ve used this mini business plan process to help hundreds of clients grow their businesses!
Write a mini business plan:
- Drive your success
- Accomplish more
- Have something to work toward every day