A new year sits ahead!
A blank page in front of you with the calendar empty. Or perhaps full of plans already? Either way if its looking a little intimidating take a moment to lay it out and feel good about the year to come.
First thing to do is pat yourself on the back for 2019; something often forgotten to do when planning the future is to look back at the past. It is all a learning experience; whether you had great success or a quiet year. Look through each of these areas from the past and make note.
FINANCES - Lots of you will be looking to them anyway in January but after a particularly busy period like Christmas its easy to let them pile up. Clear the backlog and do some estimates for the last part of the financial year. Then you have some almost certain goals for the next three months to keep you active in the quiet winter months. And also make a dent in the tax return sorting now and it won't be such a big job later.
SOCIAL MEDIA - All platforms have insights to look through, numbers aren't the only thing to look at. Rises in followers are great but who are they? Are they talking to you? Saying anything to take note of. Listen to your customers/clients as they should be helping to inform your decisions for the year to come.
DIARIES - If like me you keep an old school paper diary flip through its finished pages, taking the important dates and filling your new dairy with the essentials. If you keep a Bujo book too setting up new pages is one of my favourite mindful tasks. I have a planners shopping guide on my journal if your still without something.
Now look at the year as a whole, what went well? What was your biggest bringer of income? What was your largest expense? Is there a way to reduce or revisit this in the next year? I want to change up the ratio of my services next year to make the most of my time and to delegate the more time consuming tasks or improve the tools/systems I use to be more productive.
*There are other services I offer but these are the top 5 to give you a brief overview.
Certain services make more profit than others, whether its due to low expenses needed or how quickly I can now do the work due to skill or experience.
I have been paying in to my business the last few years, getting better equipment, learning new skills and building a stock library both digital & physical. So profit has been relatively slim but I knew if I didn't invest I wouldn't be able to grow now.
Projecting forward in to 2020 setting clear goals is the best way to stay on track. Split it up in the best way for you whether it is in to quarters or profit segments.
Your goals might include:
Make X amount of sale on X platform
Grow your audience buy X and capture their data.
To make X amount of profit by March
Get X amount of international stockists.
Host X new events & sell X amount of tickets.
Get a good balanced work & life schedule.
Now you have set out your larger goals its time to be more specific so you can identify how to achieve them. So an example:
If I want more consulting work, how much? Can I take on 3 new retainer clients in my schedule with a prepared package template. Have I got those 3 clients in mind?
I shall write up a new package and then push it through my marketing channels. Offering a promotion to existing clients and including it their correspondence. Any new clients will get a bespoke pitch with how this service would benefit them.
When unsure what method to use brainstorm as many ideas as possible, looking at previous success, competitors, industry news and way each against the likely hood of benefit. Then give these methods a DEADLINE don't leave them opened ended to remove as much procrastination as possible.
TOP TIP
Display your goals! Don't put them in a book and forget they exist, at least once a week look at them and think, what this week got me closer to them.
So you've reviewed 2019, set up your goals and thought them through, your on to the final step. Making them happen, take 15 minutes now sit down (with a cuppa) and think of one thing you could achieve in the coming week and share it with me.
I'd love to know how your planning goes and if improving your branding, launching a new platform or creating great content is on that plan take a look at my services and let me be part of your 2020.
