DISCLAIMER: this blog could set you up for success for the next 6-12 months.
I have been thinking a lot lately about what value I can add to businesses – I know I can do this, but HOW I frame this up for the customer is the key. Since meeting for a coffee with a friend and fellow business owner this morning, I have since put together my revised business plan for 2017! The purpose of this is to share with you my “A ha” moments and save you considerable time in developing or revising your engagement plan for the next few months.
Many business owners are technically brilliant in their own field of expertise; however they can falter when it comes to planning short and long term. Business plans do sound tedious – it conjures up images of a document that gets filed in the cabinet, never again to see the light of day, or the file which is saved and never updated online! To put a more positive twist on it, think of this activity as writing your story for the next year (I will use this analogy going forward). The only difference is you write the ending first, then start back at Chapter 1 and write towards your ‘happily ever after’. Much more fun!
Now, the great thing about this is that a lot of your story writing can be based around what you are currently doing; while there will be rooms for improvement, there will also be other areas which you are outstanding in. By the end of the story you will still be spending as much time on your business; you will just be spending more time leveraging the good stuff, while saving time by eliminating the bad stuff. Simple right?
What’s important about this story writing is that you COMPLETELY remove yourself from your business – yes, that may well mean switching off the mobile and now checking e-mail! The reason for this is to remove any possible distractions and keep a clear head on the present task at hand. Too often, people will see this as a redundant activity, because, “there’s lots more important things to do right now, I’m going to have so much work to go back to”.
The key to this is:
- plan out the day in advance – this will give you the time to rearrange your schedule and organise plan B if needed
- avoid any appointment clashes, and decline anything that requires actions to be completed by then
- physically leave the business premises – this will remove any distractions or temptations to hop back in the business. Treat yourself to an offsite working lunch or coffee, and give yourself the time to relax and unwind.
When it comes to story writing for the next year, there are a number of models people use:
- SWOT analysis is a popular method to take a snapshot of your business. It answers four key questions – what am I doing well, what am I not doing so well, what could accelerate my business, and what could undo it – lots to consider!
- Business plans are also common – it gives you the Blueprint for what you will do, why you are doing it, how you will do it, and when you will do it by. This keeps everyone honest in what you can achieve.
Regardless of what and how you put this together, the key questions to ask yourself first and foremost are:
What is important to ME?
What is important to MY BUSINESS?
These are some of the most important questions to ask yourself – you are the the face of your business, and your business is a reflection of what you stand for. You need to be absolutely certain that the answers to the above two questions are aligned; if they aren’t then it may be time to review why you chose your vocation (or whether you should be the ‘main character’ in your story…)
My personal recommendation is to engage with as many people as possible when putting this story together – develop a small group of confidants who will challenge you on what you plan to do. Having this honest feedback from those you know, like and trust will be the perfect litmus test before you put it into action. As I found out from this morning’s coffee, my intention was clear, but needed a little tweak in how I execute it. Surprise, surprise, blogs are now going to play a big part in this for me!
Have fun with this, please take the time to consider all possible outcomes and twists along the way, be as honest with yourself as possible, and ask for support if you are struggling with the actions.
So – what’s your story looking like for 2017?