It’s the beginning of November, what are your business goals for the month?
What is it you want to accomplish? I have been wondering that every month so far this year. I have been setting vague sales goals on a post it note. The post it note is a program that came with this computer when I bought it. I love the post it note program but my family hates it. (Please forgive any un-techinical terms or if I use the wrong techie vocabulary, I am not a tech geek.) Â When my computer boots up all the way it looks like this….
Yes, I did add some post it notes to cover up some vital information, but I usually have about 10+ post it notes up on my computer at any one time. I was keeping my sales goal on a post it note. Along with other household notes, phone numbers, home repair checklists, and a running list of completed projects for my peace of mind.
I realized this year that I needed to start setting goals or I would never really get this business of the ground. So, I started tracking sales for the past three years for each month and then setting goals based on those numbers.
I found this great short article:Â http://www.notredameonline.com/setting-business-goals/
“ It’s important to set clear goals; you should know exactly where you want to go and you should not waiver from your target regardless of failures along the way. Be as specific as possible, so you are able to determine when you’ve reached your goal.”
I knew this was important and back in March, when I started really tracking the sales of the business and where the sales were heading.
Here were the unspecific goals:
- double sales for each month
- increase items for sale to over 200
- develop crochet patterns for sale
- blog 3 times a week each month
- work on improving SEO and Etsy tags.
The goals are pretty clear but still a little foggy and they leave a lot of room for interpretation. Reading this article by Notre Dame has really focused my vision. There are habits that I need to develop that will give my business a boost.
“Make sure your goal is worth your effort.”
What is the purpose of my business? Why does it exist? Tough questions to answer. My business started like most home businesses as an effort to ease the family budget in tough times. It is time, however, to decide if it is to continue as a sideline venture or does it need a re-interpretation. Since the business started in 2008 many things have changed. Our family is restructuring as kids are leaving the nest, getting married, going to college or tech school. The marketplace has changed drastically. Items that were selling are not selling as quickly, so some restructuring of the shop needs to happen. I am having more free time and less free time all at the same time. So the bottom line here is what is the purpose of my business?
2.  “Define your end goal and create a road map for exactly how you’re going to reach your goal. “
I am still working on defining this goal and I have it in mind. You will forgive me if I am not quite ready to share that goal with the world. I need to make a more focused goal listing and probably not put it on post it notes on my laptop. I need a written quantifiable business plan. This means that I need to be able to measure my success at following the plan. Like a runner tracks his time for the mile, I need to be able to see that I am making progress.
Here is a goal that I’ve me in the past three days!
“3. Commit to your Goals
- Make a commitment and stick with it. Once you’ve set your plan in motion, stay motivated to see your goals through to the end. Don’t procrastinate or second-guess your decisions, as this will only delay the process. Don’t forget to enjoy the process and reward yourself for staying focused.”
Seeing the progress written down on paper will help me to realize when I am off track. Flylady.com does this with her cleaning methods. You have a daily to do list that varies by the day of the week that rotates some chores daily, weekly and monthly. She also has blessing days where you take care of yourself. I need to set some rewards at the end of my goals. Simply saying “I will pay more down on such and such bill” isn’t much of a reward. Knowing how I work, I will need a daily, weekly and month goal to keep myself on track. I am wearing (like all women) about 7 different hats. Four of these hats are more important than any job, career or goal that I might have. These are my faith, my husband, my family and keeping the house running. Letting any of these  slip lower on my priority list affects my creativity and also my productivity. These four things are more important to me than making money or creating anything.
Action: I will set 12 rewards for myself and my business for reaching goals. One goal for each month. I will also set faith, family and house goals. This will help me keep work in its place, though inspiration waits for no one.
Maybe some new styles and colors of yarn!
4.Make your Goals PublicÂ
An extremely effective technique for achieving business goals is making them public. Invite a team or even a single person into your plan; you’ll face accountability which can be very motivating. Once you share your goals with someone, you can determine what sort of involvement they will have with your plan. Will you ask them to check in with you every so often or not? What their role entails is up to you.
I share my business goals with my husband. He has a good business head and we are opposites. He is not emotionally invested in my business like I am and will give good, truthful advice. I also often get advice from my Mom. She gives great construction and sewing advice that I don’t always want to hear. She is an expert seamstress  with many years of experience. I also get good business advice from a close high school friend that is personally involved in the sewing industry and has been since college.
Writing a pattern for this blanket is one of my goals this week.
5. Set deadlines for your goals.
This I haven’t been doing at all. My goals tend to be too emotional and totally dependent on everything from the weather (photography, arthritis), health (running errands etc..) and everything else. So I need to set a daily schedule and treat work like work and home like home but maybe not for 8 hours a day. We are still homeschooling so I need to break my day down into smaller time bites and there is nothing wrong with setting an alternate goal for the “in case of” situations that happen. When I was teaching art I had a folder of a weeks worth of work that any substitute could assign. I need a list of things to do for the “in case of” times.
Action:
1. Make a list of things for the “in case of ” situations that happen for business and home.
2. Make Freezer meals as it frees up valuable time and makes life easier for everyone and keeps us on budget.
Somehow, I think these two things will free up valuable time.
Reward Yourself
I need to remember to have fun! I need to do things that are fun as a family, as a couple, with friends and by myself. I tend to get rather driven and forget to have fun. This is a sure way of burning out in all areas of our lives. Do the things that add a sparkle to your life! When I figure what this is, I will let you know!
Talk to you later,
Karen