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Are You Ready for Next Year?

Guest post by: Manny Nowak

Article Overview: Are you putting together a plan that you will execute successfully next year? Do you have a budget put together and a process to manage budget to actual and take corrective action? Are you doing some new things – some different things, some things outside the box? Have you determined what is working and have you put together a plan to do more of what is working? Some things you do work very well – you need to do more and spend more money on them. Some things you do are not working, no matter how much you like them. Dump them.

Are You Ready for Next Year?

By the time you read this article, most people with have 15 or less working days left in the year.

That means it is just about a new year.

Are you ready to make it the best year ever.

Or not?

Are you putting together a plan that you will execute successfully next year?

Do you have a budget put together and a process to manage budget to actual and take corrective action?

Are you doing some new things – some different things, some things outside the box?

Have you determined what is working and have you put together a plan to do more of what is working?

Some things you do work very well – you need to do more and spend more money on them.

Some things you do are not working, no matter how much you like them. Dump them.

If it is not working, and you keep doing the same thing, do you really think it is going to change?

Now is the time.

December is the month you need to put that plan together that will take you to outstanding.

What will it look like one year from now? What will your organization have accomplished.

Where will you be? What successes will you be celebrating? If you cannot see it in your mind, how do you think you will ever be able to accomplish it.

Think about how much revenue will you generate in the next year. Come up with a number you know you can make. Then stretch that number a bit more and commit to making it. Then ask, how much profit will you generate. Few people think about this. Come up with a number and commit to make it.

These four pieces will help you do it.

1. Come up with 2-5 goals that you want to accomplish in the next year.

2. Come up with 3-10 tasks under each goal that you need to accomplish to make it happen.

3. Come up with measurements for each goal and each task. If you do not have a way to measure the results, then how will you know it was accomplished? You won't.

4. This is the key – get someone to hold you accountable for the process. Not a friend who lets you off the hook. Get someone who will kick your butt to the goal. Someone who will keep you on track and if you get off, get you back on, in time. With out this, it doesn't work.

Example:

Software company who creates a web based solution.

1. Goals: (three simple goals – you don't need more – accomplish these, then get more)

(1) Increase Sales 40% to 1.4 million a year.

(2) Upgrade the product and get it out to customers: Release 6.0

(3) Move into a new facility.

2. Goals with Tasks: (example of one with detail)

(1) Increase Sales 40% to 1.4 million a year.

A. Hire a new outside sales person.

B. Purchase a new list of 1000 prospects.

C. Update the website

D. Add pay per click

E. Do 100 cold calls a week.

F. Attend 2 major and 6 minor trade shows

3. Goals with Tasks and measurements.(note that these can change as you add measurements)

(1) Increase Sales 40% to 1.4 million a year.

Measurement: Chart with sales per month and year to date – up in owners office.

A. Hire a new effective outside sales person.

Measurement: Person brings in 200k in sales this year.

B. Purchase a new list of 1000 prospects and close 5 percent of them.

Measurement: 50 new customers from the list.

C. Update the website

Measurement: Update in place by 6/30

D. Add pay per click that works.

Measurement: Spend 20k and generate 20 new customers.

E. Do 100 cold calls a week and close some business.

Measurement: 50 new customers from cold calls.

F. Attend 2 major and 6 minor trade shows

Measurement: 100 new customers from shows.

4. Goals with Tasks and measurements and accountability

This is a little different.

Who is it that is going to keep these goals on track.

First, who is it that is responsible for the goal. In a small business the owner my be responsible for all these. In a larger organization he/she may have others responsible. But he/she still needs someone holding them accountable.

Point: This is the biggest thing I do in my practice. Keep people accountable.

Without accountability it does not work.

Listen and never forget: YOU CANNOT DO IT YOURSELF.

So as you get ready for the new year.

Build a great Plan

Build measurements to keep you on track.

Then, find someone to keep you accountable.

Then watch what happens – just simple amazing.

Next year will be your best year ever.

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Article Tags: coach manny, life coaching, making next year great, planning, success coaching



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