How to Really Plan Your Business {without crying}

This may seem like a bizarro first step when you’re spinning around in circles confused, distracted and disillusioned by this whole entrepreneurial thing.

But I’m guessing that you’re spinning around like a whirling dervish precisely because you haven’t stopped to take the time to do this.

You may be thinking:

• Is it a mindset tip?  Typically I’d say ‘exactly!” but this time it isn’t.
• Is it some cool hack or new technology I can install to make my life tremendously easier. You know, where I can sit on a beach and only work a few hours a week like Tim Ferris promised me.  Definitely not.
• Is it something that all the uber successful people do each and every day at 3.30am?  Heaven’s no. Who’s up that early? Not me.

Often what we lovely ambitious and inspired entrepreneurs do is jump immediately into our businesses – all fire and passion – without taking the time to do some of the basics.

Basics????  Urgh.  Collective disappointed sigh – I can hear it from here.

But hold on!

If I can promise you that by doing this you will be able to lighten your mental load and provide you with some much needed clarity and direction.  Will you stick with me?

Let’s get started by getting some concepts straight so we’re ALL speaking the same language.

Connection happens through language and if we’re all going to build something amazing – individually and together as a collective force of rockin’ women biz owner –  let’s make sure we know what the hell we’re talking about.

Do you know the difference – really know the difference between goals, strategies and everything else that is involved in planning?  You know like “objectives” and “tactics”.

It matters!  It really does and here’s why.

If you think that growing your email list to 5,000 subscribers or using FB ads to get more people to your site is a strategy or even a goal – you’re wrong.

And I’m so glad you’re reading this because once you have all these concepts straight you’ll be able to work so much easier and {surprise} with more ease and joy!

But it’s not just about the concepts it’s the actual role they play in your business.

We spend a lot of effort, time, and resources on learning ‘tactics’.  A lot of time!

Consider what programs people are offering:

• Grow your email list to 5K
• Use Leadpages to get more opt-ins
• Guest post your way to success
• Add Sumome to capture leads
• Redesign your opt-in offering for success
• Increase Instagram followers to 30K
• Offer classes, products, freebies, worksheets, programs… AHHHHH!

Tactics. Tactics. Tactics.

There are so many out there.  That is what everyone is selling and selling you that you absolutely need to create a successful business. Their step-by-step, blueprint, masterclass… whatever!

Question is:
Do you really need it?
Does it fit into your strategy, objective and goals for your business?

That’s why being clear on these things will actually CUT OUT THE NOISE.

You will be able to look at your business through a filter that asks you: “Does this tactic help me move forward on this strategy and goal that I’m working towards?”  Or, “Does it pull me off course and take me a different direction altogether?”

We need more filters! 

Ways to keep the noise from coming in at all so you can FOCUS on the real work of your business.  Not following everyone else’s “You must do XYZ or your business will fail!” fear mongering.

We need to be OK with (actually, totally down with) doing it our own way!

You can build a business however you want.

Remember you got into business to have that freedom. So do it your way!

So we’re bringing some clarity to the process of planning.

If we don’t intentionally and thoughtfully plan, then you are apt to drift to the next tactic then the next and the next.

Let’s not have you drift along being pulled by the currents. Rather we want you to strongly and intentionally lead your big beautiful ship towards your ultimate destination.

Vision:

Your North Star. Both aspirational and inspirational. What your company would like to achieve or accomplish in 5, 10, 20 years out. Clear guide for choosing current and future courses of action. (future)

Mission:

Present state of the business.  Answers WHAT it does; WHO it does it for; and
HOW it does what it does. Why are we doing this?  Big picture yet current. What business are we really in? (present)

Goals:

What do you want to get out of this process.  Outcome?  (near future)
You can have annual, quarterly, and monthly goals. They’re helping you work your mission and get you closer to your ultimate vision.

Objectives:

Measurable and specific actions to reach this goal (near future)

Strategies:

How will I meet these objectives exactly – the specific actions. (near) The “How do I get out of the woods?” question. You’re in the alone in a forest, now what? How will you go about getting from here to there.

Tactics:

Specific, actionable, measurable actions tasks (near)
These are the tools you’ll use to work your strategy and achieve your goals.
When you focus on the strategies you can be more flexible with the tactics/tools used.

Again why it’s important!

A study by Bain and Co showed that organizations that have clearly defined Vision and Mission statements that are further aligned with a strategic plan, outperform other organizations who do not.  That’s powerful!

A study by Dominican University revealed that those who had written down their goals dramatically increased their success rate from 43% to 61% compared to those who did not.

So as you do this… don’t just daydream make sure you write it down!