Have YOU shifted into “planning mode” yet? Are you writing down your spectacular goals for 2009? Did you take a look back over 2008 and determine the R.O.I. for the various strategies, systems and services you employed? Yes? Congratulations, you are indeed a member of a very elite and small group of entrepreneurs who regularly ask themselves, “If I’m not PLANNING for success, then exactly what am I doing?”

Another case of the 80/20 Rule

The statistics can be grim, but the facts are, according to the United States Small Business Administration, that 81% of all entrepreneurs are unable to keep their doors open after the first year in business. Why? I believe one of the biggest reasons is because they didn’t have a PLAN. Their direction and action is spurred by whatever is impacting them from one day to the next, one fire to the next, or from the next best marketing idea or quick lead generating mechanism to the next.

Do Something Different in Order to Gain Different Results!

Ensure that YOU are one of the 20% who plan for success in 2009! Get the ball rolling by taking a simple approach to your business planning efforts. The following ten Foundations have been identified as the “life-blood” of every Entrepreneur’s business. Which ones require strengthening in YOUR business?

• Time Management
• Sales
• Marketing/Lead Generation
• Database Management
• Customer “Wow” Service
• Tracking
• Building Referral Partnerships
• Standard Operating Procedures
• Team Building
• Specialized Knowledge

Once you have decided on the Foundations that you will include in your business plan, then, simply write five Goals for each Foundation.

Make sure to take a moment to reflect on those goals and ask yourself, “Is this a goal I feel passionate about achieving?” “What do I have to gain by attaining this goal?” “What will I miss out on if I do not attempt this goal?”  By asking yourself these questions, you will be able to identify and weed out the, “shoulds” and expectations of others, from your plan, leaving you with the gems that you’ll feel most excited to go after.

Without ACTION, There Can Be No Victories

Goals without action is like a buried treasure without a map…If you don’t know how to get to it, you’ll likely just give up on it. Draw your own map by writing down at least five action steps you can take that will bring you closer to attaining each of your goals.

Breaking your goals down into smaller, bite-sized pieces, will make any goal, no matter how audacious it seems at the time, MANAGEABLE.

The Secret Ingredient to ACHIEVEMENT

Accountability…Accountability…Accountability! If you’re not quite ready to invest in your own, personal Business Coach, hold yourself accountable by utilizing your calendar as an accountability tool. Assign each of your actions items with a “Target ACTION Date” in your calendar of choice. Subscribing deadlines or startlines to your action items is the final step in this simple business planning process. 

Interested in taking this simple business planning process and kicking it up a notch? Contact me today for your FREE access to the best Business ACTION Planning web-tool for Mortgage Professionals!

vdelfrate@icanplan.biz

(This offer expires on 12/31/08)