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PLANNING FOR SUCCESS – PART 1 – PURPOSE

Guest post by: Danny Creed

Article Overview: How was this year for you and your business? That’s the question that every business owner is or should be asking themselves at this time of year. Unfortunately a very high percentage of business owners are afraid of the answer so the questions are avoided. Now is the time that you must, however face the facts. Did I have a good year? Did I have a bad year? What did I do right? What did I do wrong? What can I do better? Now is the time to ask the question and begin planning. The time to begin planning is not mid January, it is now. This will be the first in a series of article on planning for growth and success in business and your personal life.This article is the first of four that will discuss those critical and sometimes hard to face questions that might separate you from those in business and those going out of business

PLANNING FOR SUCCESS – PART 1 – PURPOSE

This year was so bad…..”I ordered a burger at a fast food place and the kid behind the counter asked, “Can you afford fries with that?”

How was this year for you and your business? That’s the questions that every business owner is or should be asking themselves at this time of year. Unfortunately a very high percentage of business owners are afraid of the answer so the questions are avoided.

Now is the time that you must, however face the facts. Did I have a good year? Did I have a bad year? What did I do right? What did I do wrong? What can I do better?

Now is the time to ask the question and begin planning. The time to begin planning is not mid January, it is now. This will be the first in a series of articles on planning for growth and additional success in business and your personal life.

One of my favorite quotes comes from John Richardson, American author and academic. Mr. Richardson said in 1938, “When it comes to the future there are three kinds of people: Those who let it happen; those who make it happen; and those who wonder what happened.”

Which one are you?

There are an estimated two million business start-ups annually, 80% will fail in two years or less. 86% of all businesses are operating below their potential of sales and profitability. The fact is that most entrepreneurs have not really started a business, but created a job for themselves. A job where they are working harder, for longer hours and for less pay!

According to “autopsies” conducted on failed businesses by accounting and consulting firms the top seven reasons companies fail are:

1.) Lack of Direction and goals

2.) Impatience – They want too much too soon

3.) Greed

4.) Poor cost control

5.) Poor quality of product

6.) Insufficient capitol

7.) Insufficient sales

Almost all of these points come back to a significant lack of planning. So it’s time to plan beginning now…beginning today. Otherwise you may end next year wondering what happened….again!

(Next: PLANNING FOR SUCCESS – PART 2 – CLARITY)

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Article Tags: business coaching, business owner, business planning, coaching, goal setting, goals, success



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Re: Is facebook adverts effective? - We have done it for our online live tutoring services. But, I have decided not to use it again because we could know that there were around 250 clicks in a week ,but we could not see capitalise a single student. We targeted UK based 24-30 or something. We actually received a very few (I think around5 out of 250 clicks!) ... They too seem to be Indians and Pakistanis residing in the UK with a full time student visa, which prevents them from taking online lessons from us (then why they clicked our ads and even contacted us mean, I think, they do not going to lose anything!) ... So, I realised that our target market UK based PART TIME ACCA and CIMA students do not use FaceBook to browse ACCA and CIMA related sites although they use FaceBook. So, as our website is for ACCA and CIMA courses, probably it might have been shown in ACCA and CIMA FaceBook groups, where FULL TIME students were browsing it. So, I think it is we, selected the wrong medium .... Not to blame FaceBook I think .... So, it mainly depends on your target market, where they reside and actually from that area/country, truly would your target group see your adverts ? Much to consider ....
Re: Clarity Trumps Persuasion - Jeff, Thanks, great stuff !!! Clarity or "KEEP IT SIMPLE" is probably the best advice anyone can ever give or get when involved in any business or personal situation. Over 30 years of manufacturing ladies apparel has taught me two critical business lessons: 1-You will never get a 100% perfect outcome so In the BEGINNING,take your time, exhaust all your resources and energy and plan, plan, plan. . . If it STARTS off right it you'll get close to the desired outcome. 2-Keep it simple I now will add "Clarity" to my formula for success. CLARITY AND KEEPING IT SIMPLE BREEDS SUCCESS . . . . I know the advice above is simple but isn't that what it's all about. Thanks Ringo, This information not only was great for my website but it reminded me that "keeping it simple and clear" got me and my teams through some wicked situations Best wishes Barry


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