So often I work with clients who have a vision in mind, they just don’t know the steps to take to get there. Today I thought I would share the simple steps I use with my clients to create a plan for their small business.
Step #1 – Start with the Vision in Mind
If I was to ask you the question “what is the reason your business exists?” how would you answer this question? Many entrepreneurs and business coaches refer to this as your Vision Statement.
For my business, the reason we exist is to assist entrepreneurs in reaching their ultimate dreams for their business. This really is it in a nutshell … we do this in a lot of ways, but basically I provide a simple approach to assisting entrepreneurs in reaching their ultimate dreams for their vision.
Step #2 – How Will You Do That?
Now that you know the vision, ask yourself “how will you know that you have reached your vision?” Some call this your Mission Statement, however, in reality, it is truly the ultimate goal that allows you to reach the vision!
In my case, I know I will have reached my vision when I am able to take a company’s vision and simplify it with an easy-to-follow, step-by-step plan with the exact how to’s to allow them to reach their vision on their own. (Of course, I can also help them to implement the steps and get there faster!!!)
Step #3 – What Stops You?
The answer to this simple question “what stops you?” allows you to set the overall goals for your business. As you are examining the answer to this question you want to look at the current state of your business; how it exists today and what stops you from achieving your mission?”
It is important to be really honest with yourself in answering this question. Also, in answering the question it is best to summarize the answers in a goal.
For example, in my business, my first answer was “not enough of our ideal clients really know who The Weld Group is and exactly what we do.” Translated into a goal it became … Build the Weld Group Profile.
You will want to stick with no more than 3-5 main goals for this step.
Step #4 – How Will You Achieve Those Goals
Once you have established your goals, ask yourself the question “how will you achieve this goal?” The answers to this question, in simple terms, are the strategies that will help you to achieve these goals.
In the example goal I shared with you, Build the Weld Group Profile, how I will know I have achieved this goal (or the strategies needed to reach this goal) is by marketing the Weld Group brand and getting people talking about the Weld Group.
For each of your goals come up with 1-2 strategies that will assist you in reaching the goal.
Step #5 – What Actions Need to Happen to Support The Strategies?
Now that you have the strategies, it’s time to get to work. What actions need to happen to reach the strategy?
With my first strategy of marketing the Weld Group brand, the following actions have to happen:
- I need to first define what the Weld Group brand is. What do I stand for, what do I want the Weld Group to mean, what do I want my brand to say to others?
- Then I need to determine where and how to market my brand so I am reaching my ideal clients.
- Once these are both determined, I need to effectively market and communicate my brand (more importantly I need to be consistent about it). Most entrepreneurs are the best-kept secret because they aren’t sharing with others what they do in a consistent manner that keeps them in front of their ideal clients.
- Finally, once all this is in place I need to ensure myself and my entire team are living up to the brand every single day and in every single communication we have.
Of course, each of these action steps will then have “to-do” items that will happen on a daily, weekly, monthly and/or annual basis. These are the foundational work that either yourself or your team must do to allow you to reach your vision.
There will likely be 3-5 main actions that must happen for each of the strategies to “work!”
Putting it All Together
So there you have it … the 5 simple steps to take to creating a plan for your business. When you begin to implement the actions every day, your strategies will unfold. As your strategies unfold your goals will be accomplished bit-by-bit. As your goals are accomplished your mission, and ultimately your vision will come through to fruition!
If you would like assistance with defining your vision and working out a plan for your business, schedule a Discovery Call with Yvonne where we can discuss how the Weld Group can help you to not only define your plan, but ensure it gets implemented so you can live your vision!