If you're a solo professional like I am, you know how tough it is to find any time at all to do any business planning. Doing a full business plan is a must if you're planning to seek financing or investors, but most solo professionals don't need anything that complicated.
Don't get me wrong, business planning is one of the most important things you need to do to succeed in your one man or woman show. Without planning you'll drift aimlessly from one crisis to the next and one idea to the next, never really getting anything done.
So, what's a solo pro to do? Here's what I do in my own business:
My business plan consists of one page with very little on it. It simply lists the three goals that I must achieve this year. Then, I list a statement for each goal: To achieve Goal #1 I need to?.This is followed by two to five activities or action items I need to do to make that happen.
That's it. That's the whole plan. The beauty is the simplicity. I simply cannot handle more than that. I don't have a staff. I don't have "people". Everything has to be structured so that I can get it done simply and systematically.
So, let's say one of my goals is to increase sales by a certain number, like $25,000. I then ask myself, "What do you need to do to make that happen?" Maybe I want to develop an ebook or add a new service. How many potential or current customers will I need to reach? How much time will I need to develop the book or service? How will I market it?
From those answers, I develop my schedule. What do I need to do monthly, weekly, daily? I break it up into small pieces that take an hour or less. For example, if I decide I need to send out 100 marketing postcards in a month, I break it into 25 cards a week. Then, I put it on my schedule each week, just as I do my appointments with clients.
To keep myself on track, I place my mini plan in front of my keyboard so every morning it's the first thing I see. I also include a note to myself. It reminds me that "Nothing Else Matters." I follow it with my company slogan: Get Knowledge. Get Focus. Get Results.
Complex plans take tons of time to develop and many (if not most) end up gathering dust on a shelf. Using a simple plan improves your focus and helps you to achieve great results.
Are you a solo professional feeling Stressed, Disorganized? Tired of Working Long Hours for Less Than You're Worth? Struggling for Focus?: Learn how one Solo Professional used the Chaos Tamer to Survive and Thrive in the Midst of Total Rampaging Chaos. http://www.thejordanresult.com .
c 2001-2004 The Jordan Result LLC & Caroline Grimm Jordan All Rights Reserved.
Mercedes Benz s500 rentals Willowbrook .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareWe all agree Strategic Planning is a critical part of... Read More
If you own a mobile franchise business and wish to... Read More
A business plan precisely defines your business, identifies your goals,... Read More
Many very successful business owners may never have had a... Read More
While writing an article recently on effective ways to bridge... Read More
I am not a big fisherman, but I do enjoy... Read More
Remember Chux? The disposable diaper that took the market by... Read More
In 1989, Sony founded its Institute of Wisdom at the... Read More
A menu is the foundation of any restaurant; Guests will... Read More
Regroup?is this a new management trend? Not a chance! Regroup... Read More
The new check cashing instant clearing will take some time... Read More
If you own the mid-size business and actively work in... Read More
Many cities have home pages on the Internet. Many of... Read More
As a business owner, you've likely created a hurricane plan... Read More
The first task before hiring a contractor for home remodeling... Read More
Entrepreneurs often give little if any consideration to their computer... Read More
If you are a manufacturer wanting to use your business... Read More
How are you feeling today? Good, not so good, great?... Read More
Do you work in or own a business that's affected... Read More
If you are in the parking business and own or... Read More
It doesn't take a Terrorist Act, Tsunami or Earthquake to... Read More
( * - the word 'product' can be substituted to... Read More
Many of us are discouraged by the networking events that... Read More
There is a story, about a business owner who wasn't... Read More
Writing a business plan can be tricky when all the... Read More
wedding limousine Lake Forest ..Part 1A few weeks ago I attended a seminar sponsored... Read More
In 1997, David Steele was making the transition from a... Read More
You know you need a business plan. You probably realize... Read More
Remember reading "Alice in Wonderland?"She asks the Cheshire Cat, "which... Read More
So what makes a vision successful? Everyday companies try to... Read More
Ask a small business owner about their strategic plan and... Read More
There are no "rules of thumb" in the pursuit of... Read More
Obviously, there will never be an actual water shortage since... Read More
When looking at Akron carefully one cannot help but notice... Read More
Much of what we heard in the mass media about... Read More
Many companies are reluctant to dive into outsourcing ocean because... Read More
Succession planning requires the owner of a small or medium-sized... Read More
A well known, national chain of restaurants discovered that certain... Read More
What gets measured gets done.How do you keep your business... Read More
For many consumers and producers, MSP is an acronym for... Read More
A significant advantage of some business ideas is that the... Read More
Why do so many companies languish and watch as their... Read More
GETTING STARTED WITH SUCCESSION PLANNING: PART IA survey of 4,300... Read More
Human beings are rational agents. Rationality endorses one to take... Read More
Many very successful business owners may never have had a... Read More
If you own a mobile car wash business or auto... Read More
"Bozo" ? A clown with a forlorn look, always finding... Read More
People often ask "What makes a good business plan? Or,... Read More
1. Largest Selection -One way that you can make your... Read More
Imagine an office without a desk, or lights, a computer,... Read More
Strategic Planning |