There is a big difference between the person who says they want to have more success in their business and the person who not only says they want more success, but actually sets a plan in motion to create that success and then continues to stay focused on their plan day in and day out.
That has been one of my biggest life lessons in business. It's one thing to say what you want and another thing to actually do it. Many business owners say what they want, but they don't ever set a plan in motion to get there.
And, then what happens? They don't ever make big strides and achieve the level of success they crave.
In order to begin to create unstoppable momentum in your business, I recommend you read these five steps, and begin to follow the recommended action steps which will help you create more success, more freedom, more joy, and more focus in whatever you do.
Step #1: Know where you are. Knowing where you are is the first step in creating unstoppable momentum in your business. You have to know where you are in order to get where you want to go. So, what does that mean in terms of your business?
It means understanding your current gross income, your current number of customers, the current number of leads you attract each month, how many of those leads do you convert into paying customers each month and what is your average sale transaction as well as knowing and understanding the challenges your industry faces in today's market. Knowing this information and being clear about where you are, will help you focus on what to do and where you need to make improvements.
So, let's say you are great at attracting new leads and each month you are able to attract 100 new leads into your business, however you are only converting 20 of those leads into paying customers. Well, that is very important information you need to know as a business owner, because that means you need to improve your sales process in order to convert a higher percentage. (You should be able to convert over 40% of the leads you speak to at a minimum if you have a local business.) You can't possibly begin to change what you are not aware of.
Step #1 Action Plan: Begin by going back at least 6 months and look at your numbers. Again, what is your gross income, the current number of customers you have, the current number of leads you attract each month, how many of those do you convert into paying customers as well as what is your average sale? Once you have all those numbers, implement a system for tracking your numbers more efficiently moving forward. I recommend that you should analyze your numbers on a daily or weekly basis. This way you can stay ahead and when things are not improving you can make any necessary tweaks immediately.
The other component that you want to be aware of are any challenges your industry is facing right now. Maybe you are a Real Estate Agent and you are experiencing a much harder time selling homes. Clearly understanding what the problem is will help you come up with creative solutions to solve your problems.
Step #2: Know where you want to go. The next step to creating unstoppable momentum in your business is knowing exactly where you want to go and create a clear vision. This step is often missed and needs your time and attention. We often get so busy keeping up with our daily tasks, that we forget one of the most important steps and that is taking time to reflect and become clear about what we actually want.
What do you want your business to be like? How much money do you want to make? How many hours do you want to work? Do you want to be able to take multiple vacations each year? Do you want to sell your business someday? Do you want to hire someone to run your day to day operations, so you can work on your business instead of in your business? What do you need to get from this business? And so on...
Step #2 Action Plan: After you know where you are, take some time and sit down in front of your computer or a journal and go ahead and start to write out what it is that you want. You can start by asking yourself some of the questions above. The key is to be as clear as you possibly can. Set goals and write down the date when you want them achieved.
I write in my journal, I have my goals framed and on my desk and I also have a vision board near my closet where I get dressed every morning. It keeps my goals in the forefront of my mind everyday.
Step #3: Know why you want what you want. Ah, now this is a very important step that usually goes completely overlooked. You HAVE TO know why you want what you want because that is what really motivates you and helps you stay focused when things get tough.
There are specific reasons you want what you want and we all have motivations for making more money and being more successful. The key is to get clear about why you want it. I want to make more money in my life to be able to provide for my family and because I want more freedom and choices. That is what keeps me motivated when things get tough or challenges arise. Because I am sure you know by now, problems and challenges arise almost everyday when you own your own business. So, getting clear about the 'why' helps the what happen.
Step #3 Action Plan: Get clear about why you want what you want. After each goal you write out, write because and finish the sentence. For example, I want to increase my monthly income by $5,000 because it will allow me to:______________________________ and that will make me feel_____________________________. Knowing what you want to feel is a very important aspect to truly achieving your goals. Be sure to really understand what reaching your goals will do for your life.
I have a goal to lose 25 pounds by December 31st, 2012 because I want to be able to play with my kids easier, I want to be able to wear cuter clothes, I want to feel vibrant and sexy. Whether your goal is to lose weight or make more money, get clear and know why.
Step #4: Create a plan or map and start taking action. Now the fourth step to creating unstoppable motion is having a plan or a map on how you are going to get there. I like the word map, because if you hit traffic or another road block, you can change your course. A map is more flexible. There are a lot of ways to get from New York to California and your plan should reflect the same flexibility. You need to do what works for you and what works for one person doesn't always work for another.
So, you are clear that you want to grow your business and increase your bottom line. How are you going to do that? What steps will you take in order to achieve that goal? What do you need to improve? What do you need to change? Once you know where you are, where you want to go and why you want to go there, you will have a better understanding on how to accomplish it.
Be as specific as possible when writing out your business map and define what action steps you will take each day to achieve your goals. Success is inevitable when you do this. Again, it's just like losing weight and getting healthy. What is your current weight, what do you want to weigh, why do you want to lose weight and how are you going to do it. What program will you follow, will you join a gym, hire a trainer, see a nutrition coach and so forth. You get the idea. Business is exactly the same way. You need a map.
Step #4 Action Plan: Get clear about how you are going to achieve your new business goals and write down daily action steps. The key here is to take action everyday even if it is one tiny small step. Keep moving forward and stay focused.
So, most likely you want to attract new business in order to increase your monthly income, first decide how you are going to do that, maybe you need to figure out how to market more effectively or maybe you need to improve your sales process or maybe you need to implement a new service or product. There are endless ways to increase your business. I teach business owners hundreds of ways to attract new business, so you can sign up to see my free video series or send me an email and learn more about my one-on-one coaching program.
Step #5: Having the right mindset. It is crucial to have the right mindset when setting down a new path. Your mind is the most powerful tool you have and you can use that tool to empower you or disempower you. I've done extensive work on my own mindset and I can tell you it has been the best time and money I have ever spent. Your attitude is everything in life and there is a saying that says, it's not what happens to you, it's how you respond to what happens to you and your mindset is what dictates how you respond.
Did you know that almost 98% of all dieters either fail or lose the weight only to put it back on again. Do you know the real reason why? Because they didn't change the thoughts in their head. It is vital to create a new conversation with yourself as you begin to set new goals and set down a new path of success, joy, freedom and growth.
It is so easy to see, especially after coaching and working with numerous business owners across North America. The ones that change the way they think, change their direction in life and the ones that don't continue down the same path and let obstacle after obstacle stop them. They self sabotage and let their limiting beliefs, fear and doubt stop them from making empowering decisions in their life. However, you can overcome your fear, your doubt and your limiting beliefs through awareness, determination, coaching and learning new skills.
Step #5 Action Plan: In order to start creating the right mindset begin to be aware of what you say to yourself when you want to create more success. Are you focused on opportunities or do you see limitations? Do you tend to come up with reasons or excuses something won't work or do you tend to see the positive about how it will work? Start to become aware of what you are thinking. I've had to overcome a lot of limiting beliefs in my life and I am so grateful I have. My life is richer, fuller and I experience more happiness and gratitude than I ever have before.
In order to really create the right mindset in relationship to your business, I suggest sitting down now or as soon as you have the opportunity and go through these 5 steps. This is your future and I recommend doing something for yourself that your future self will thank you for. Get serious about making changes and stop making excuses. Read books, learn new skills, take courses, find like-minded people and even higher a life or business coach. I have invested a great deal of time and money into my own personal and business development and I can tell you it was more than worth it. I've read books, listened to CD's, traveled the country attending business and personal development seminars as well as hired personal coaches, taken online courses and more. It will pay off and it will pay off big.