Do you like the year changes? I just love it.
With each New Year that begins, it is my ritual. I settle down, I visualize what I want for my activity and I write this on a sheet of paper. Everything is meticulously dissected: my financial objective, how many customers it represents, for what services and by what marketing actions I will achieve.
Since my beginnings, I have achieved my goals in an extremely precise way, even if the path is not the one I originally thought of. This is also a well-planned planning: reach the destination by allowing route surprises! So let’s take 3 steps to plan your year and increase your turnover.
Step 1: Take stock of 2017
At first, sit in a place you like, quiet, and where you will not be disturbed for about 1 hour. Have a notebook and a pen with you. Come back on the past year.
Do you make the film in your head: What were the highlights of the year?
Then take a moment to analyze your flagship actions. To do even better, it is important to understand that your potential “failures” are actually ways to get closer to the next success, if you know how to draw the right lessons. It is also important to know how to savor the successes to their true extent, in order to be able to reproduce them.
Describe the experiences, events and actions you want to improve, evolve or develop.
As I said: clearly defined objectives have made my business successful, even if the access plan changes along the way! Why? Because each time my intention was ultra clear and that my objectives were specific and achievable (even if they were ambitious).
To prepare for this, as the figures like clarity, you will look back on your 2017 results:
List all your services and products with their rates.
Count the number of customers for each service.
Add these numbers to get the total revenue per product or service.
Which products or services work best?
Tip: Stop or adapt those that bring you less than 20% turnover.
Step 2: Stretch your financial glass ceiling
The previous figures give you the measure of your current glass ceiling: the maximum amount that you are unwittingly programmed not to exceed. It is therefore a matter of stretching it to increase your turnover.
Now ask yourself the question for 2018: what is your goal of turnover?
This amount must be higher than the one you are used to, slightly uncomfortable but achievable at the same time.
The glass ceiling stretches and breaks, but beware of all or nothing or the goal impossible to
For stretching to be effective, consider aligning your new potential with your current energy. For that, working on your limiting beliefs or your emotional state can be helpful.
Also be aware that to break your glass ceiling, you will also have to expand your ability to give, receive and keep, which are the 3 main moves with the money:
Give = spend, invest, pay, repay
Receive = attract, manifest, win, cash
Keep = save
These 3 movements must be balanced to ensure that growth is healthy and sustainable.
Step 3: Build an Action Plan for 2018
Now that you have your target number, you will have to translate it into operational objectives and then act to meet your ambition.
Start by asking yourself these 3 questions:
Which services work best? They will represent a large part of the customers.
What are your other sources of potential income? (workshops, affiliation, surprise, passive income ).
From your overall goal for 2018, decide on the distribution you want based on what services and products work best (and any products you want to launch).
Take the thinking one step further by translating these specific numbers into the number of clients / assignments / units this represents for each.
Finally, analyze your most profitable marketing actions over the past year. Decline them in an effective and relevant annual marketing strategy:
What marketing actions have been easy to implement?
Which gave a satisfactory?
What other actions could be put in place to develop your visibility?
Put all this on an annual calendar
If you are the type to procrastinate … I have unfortunately no magic wand. All I can tell you is that successful entrepreneurs are planning everything. Even the most intuitive and creative like me. If you are the exception that confirms the rule, I would be happy to interview you!
A successful year starts from the beginning by aligning your actions with your vision.
Remember this quote from Zig Ziglar “You are born to win, but to be a winner you must plan to win, prepare to win and expect to win”.
On this, very beautiful year 2018!
