Will you Plan to Fail or Fail to Plan?

It’s that time again when all of our numbers get set back to zero, and as we launch into a brand new year you might be wondering why your plan for last year didn’t go as expected. 

If you are like most people, you had high hopes last January as you set great expectations for your work, life and career.  Fervent in your quest to break through the barriers to achieve your goals, you might feel disappointed that the success you want just never seems to be within your reach.

There are several factors to business planning failure and most aren’t the plan itself. Many failures are not the result of crummy planning, but rather crummy execution.  

If you are serious about changing your life by this time next year, planning is a good start, but knowing how to execute that plan will guarantee to get you to the profit zone.

1. Change your mindset. One of the prime differences between a mediocre bottom line and a super star balance starts with mindset. For once in your life, get crazy and dream BIG! Write an income figure down – cross it out and then DOUBLE it!  If you think you can, you can….or otherwise.  Entrepreneurial studies report that the biggest barrier is our own mindset about what we can accomplish, deserve, or attain.
2. BIG Dreams need a plan!  Dreams are a great first step, but identifying where you need some help is the second component to transforming those dreams into dollars.  A SWOT analysis is a simple technique for understanding your strengths and weaknesses, and identifying the opportunities available and the threats you may face.  Identify where you need help, and delegate that segment of your business. Delegate those items that take you away from high dollar productive activities.
3. Stay FOCUSED! You can expect to be thrown off course by an unplanned emergency or event every day. Top performers know that there are some basic simple habits that when executed daily over time, produce massive results. Track your activities every 30 minutes each day for a week to start developing success habits.  It will soon be clear where you are losing productive time. CLICK HERE FOR A Daily Success Habits Tracker.
4. Schedule 1 hour of prospecting every day, no excuses. Just like brushing your teeth or having a meal, these activities are big rocks in your daily routine. It’s about consistency! Whether you are focusing on making more money, or getting into better physical shape, SCHEDULE it! 
5. Manage your leads. Track every single lead and source and prioritize them. An “A” lead has an appointment on your calendar. A “B” lead is a prospect who is 30-90 days from being ready to engage, and finally a “C” lead is over 90 days away from making a decision. By prioritizing their urgency and follow up with timeline systems in place to stay connected, nurture and incubate that lead, you will fill your pipeline with real prospects.   Tracking gives you the insights into maintaining prospects with a system that pays off.
6. Systems Ensure Success. Every business requires multiple actions to keep the customers and clients connected. After prioritizing your leads, use a comprehensive CRM system (Client Relationship Management) to handle the communications and tracking to stay connected until they are ready for your services. 
7. TRACK IT!  Too many business professionals fail because they have no clue what it costs them to run their business every day. Start by laying out a budget that clearly identifies your daily and annual expenses. Get a real handle on what is working to generate solid prospects. You could be wasting hundreds of dollars on systems or programs that don’t deliver.

And finally…..get coached! Top performers know they can’t always “see” where their deficiencies lie, so working with a coach helps them identify their weaknesses and stay focused on their dollar productive activities to create real results. This year, for once…really invest in yourself. Learn to focus on the right activities and then schedule those activities to enjoy a new level of personal achievement!  

Terri Murphy, Communication Engagement specialist, author, speaker, communication consultant, and coach. She is the author of 5 books Contact her: www.TerriMurphy.com or Email: [email protected]