by Melanie Benson Strick | Featured Contributor
I’m sure every entrepreneur on this planet starts out with an inspiring vision and a game plan of what needs to be done. You might have even put together a savvy business plan to prove that your idea had merit.
Then, your business takes off and you quickly realize that you are so busy you don’t have time to plan anymore. Between the non-stop emails that bombard you to a million unplanned emergencies, your ideas seem to stay stuck in your mind and never actually land onto paper.
But winging it doesn’t seem to be working that well either. You always have way too much on your plate, balls dropping everywhere – not to mention how frustrating it is to feel like you are always behind on your next big promotion.
Giving up on the planning process is a terrible idea – if you want to make higher levels of money without being stressed out. Without a plan you don’t have the clarity to stay focused and productive.
After fifteen years in business, one thing I know for sure is that making time to plan is investing in sanity and higher profits.
With the right plan, your mind is sharper because you know exactly where to put your time and attention.
Your support team will be more productive because they know what to do next.
And, your erratic cash flow is replaced with consistent, predictable income.
Now many small business owners know they need a plan – but they just can’t quite make time to get that plan out of their heads.
Most creative people don’t enjoy the process of planning. Often they find the idea of a plan constricting because they like to create in the moment. But creating on the fly takes a lot of energy and time – and is a recipe for disastrous mistakes.
And, many fast-paced business owners typically feel it’s a waste of time and energy when they could actually be getting stuff done! But, what I discovered is that when I don’t have a plan I will forget essential tasks that actually delay completion anyway.
And last, the process of creating a plan is not usually what a visionary does best. Visionary entrepreneurs are typically inspired by creating new offerings and focusing on the big picture. They get fired up when they see their ideas making money and helping people.
Let’s face it, most creatives and visionaries don’t like to slow down and think things through. There’s a certain amount of adrenaline and flexibility in flying by the seat of your pants.
But here’s the rub. Without a plan you often waste time on poor performing offerings and miss out on the right timing to keep cash flow rolling in.
Here’s why creating a Profit Boosting Plan can make things VERY different in your business:
…A good plan allows you to identify the connection between your vision and the steps to actually achieve it.
…With a proven planning process it will reveal actual timelines versus the super-hero, in your head, make-believe time tables most entrepreneurs kid themselves about.
…A strategic plan helps you utilize resources and cash flow more effectively.
…And, a Profit Boosting Plan is the missing link between where you are and the level of success you desire today.
There are four types of plans you must have to achieve a great level of consistent results:
1. A focus plan for achieving your annual goals. This allows you to identify your big initiatives for the year so you and your team stay focused on the right things.
2. A revenue plan showcasing the potential cash flow from achieving the goals. By mapping out current and future offerings you can quickly see where income holes could create cash flow issues.
3. A marketing plan that is the action steps tied to your revenue plan so you know what efforts will drive your desired results.
4. A visual roadmap of when you will sell or offer each of your programs throughout the year. This step can be invaluable to keeping your “over-commitment tendencies” in check.
Make a commitment to take all those ideas in your mind and put them into an Profit Boost Plan. When you incorporate these simple plans into your day to day operations you’ll open up to a level of masterful business management that will quickly put you on the ‘who’s who of success’ in your industry!
If you’ve been stuck getting the level of results you don’t hold off anymore. Winging it is for amateurs and hobbyists.
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Melanie Benson Strick is known as America’s Leading Small Business Optimizer because she knows how to boost profits and results with her secret weapon — LEVERAGE. With over 12 years in corporate project management, Melanie works exclusively with thought leaders and visionary entrepreneurs who want proven strategies to monetize their big ideas and catapult their success without giving up their life.
Melanie is author of Rewired for Wealth, serves on the Executive Leadership Team for Women Speakers Association, is co-author of Entrepreneur.com’s Start Up Guide to Starting an Information Marketing Business and has her success tips featured in magazines such as Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Parenting Magazine, Woman’s Day and American Express FORUM. Melanie is a proud lifestyle enthusiast and spends her free time in search of the best spas and beaches in the world. Find out if you are using all of the right Profit Boosting Factors with this FREE downloadable guidebook on SuccessConnections.com.
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Melanie Benson is known as America’s Leading Small Business Optimizer because she knows how to boost profits and results with her secret weapon — LEVERAGE. With over 12 years in corporate project management, Melanie works exclusively with thought leaders and visionary entrepreneurs who want proven strategies to monetize their big ideas and catapult their success without giving up their life.
Melanie is host of the Amplify Your Success Podcast, author of Rewired for Wealth, serves on the Executive Leadership Team for Women Speakers Association, is co-author of Entrepreneur.com’s Start Up Guide to Starting an Information Marketing Business and has her success tips featured in magazines such as Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Parenting Magazine, Woman’s Day and American Express FORUM. Melanie is a proud lifestyle enthusiast and spends her free time in search of the best spas and beaches in the world.
Find out if you are using all the right growth techniques with 7 Tips to Amplify Income and Impact on http://melaniebenson.com/.
