The end of the year is the perfect time to plan for the coming year. And here we are on the verge of a new year stretching out before us with all its possibilities and potential pitfalls.
Do you have a business plan for 2022?
If you do, are you confident you have included everything you should?
If you don’t have a business plan for 2022 yet, when will you… and do you know what goes into successful business planning?
A good business plan covers a number of areas related to your business. As you go through each of those areas, you will be using three KEY things (or overall concepts) that will guide the rest.
Those three keys are Clarity, Focus, and the Action Steps you will take.
The First Key – Clarity
Clarity has become a somewhat overused term in recent years, maybe even to the point of clarity fatigue. But it really is important!
Understanding where you are, where you want to go, and the action steps you will take to get there is the best way to make any plan successful.
When it comes to where you are, you will want to do an honest review of what has worked in the past year, as well as what didn’t.
You’ll want to consider what worked and what didn’t in each area of your business. This can easily be done by reviewing the plan you created for this year, if you have one.
If you didn’t have a business plan for 2021, go ahead and take some time to reflect on the year and consider doing a S.W.O.T. analysis as part of your 2022 plan.
You will also want to give some thought to where you want your business to go from here. Be clear and specific about what you want.
- What do you need or desire in terms of revenue and income?
- Do you need to have a better balance between work and personal time? If yes, what do you need to help you accomplish that?
- Are there products or services you want to add to what you are already offering?
- Are there products or services that have not performed well for you and need to be either tweaked or eliminated?
The list of questions could go on and on, but I’m sure you get the idea. Asking yourself these and similar questions will help you find the clarity you need to create a solid business plan for the coming year.
The Second Key – Focus
Time is our most limited resource. We each have the same 24 hours in a day. It’s what we choose to do with those hours – and how well we focus our efforts – that makes the difference between success and falling short of the marks we set.
It’s so easy to get distracted by tasks and activities that really don’t matter to the bigger picture for your business. With a good business plan, you will identify the things that have been draining your time and energy, so you can make intentional choices that will help you stay focused and on track in the coming year.
You can consciously choose to spend your time on the actions that will bring the results you want. Instead of wasting time on the things that don’t.
So, get clarity on where you are, then get clarity on where your time, energy, and resources need to be focused and you will have two important keys to getting where you want to go in place.
The Third Key in a Business Plan- Action Steps
The third key to successful business planning is creating action steps.
It’s easy to say (or think) that looking at what worked and what didn’t and understanding what you need to focus on is enough. But the truth is that having clearly defined action steps greatly increases your chances of success.
If you really think about it, it makes sense.
When we are caught up in the day-to-day of running a business and living our lives, it’s so easy to lose focus. We have so many things demanding our attention.
When you have the action steps relating to your goals and objectives clearly laid out, you can keep them top-of-mind when the busy-ness of life and running your business threatens to derail you.
You don’t even have to think about it. It’s all right there, spelled out, and a constant reminder.
I created a Success Path for the New Year Planner you can use to create your business plan for the coming year. I encourage you to download it and have your plan in place before that ball drops in Times Square on New Year’s Eve.
I also encourage you to sign up for a planning day with me. You will have me for the whole day, guiding you through the plan and helping you get it done. You can download the planner and sign up HERE.
Your business is too important to leave anything to chance. And the results you get in the coming year are directly impacted by the time you have invested to make things happen.
So, invest the time to increase your potential for business success. And keep the key concepts of clarity, focus, and action steps in mind as you work through your plan.
Your business plan will work if you work your plan. Just imagine how exciting it will be to start getting the results you want in the coming year.
Here’s to a profitable and productive 2022!
