Want more profits? Work your plan!

Last week’s article detailed the importance of developing your “Money Map” (a.k.a. marketing plan) so that you have clear direction on how you’re spending your time, energy and resources to attract clients, develop your business and make more money. Once you’ve put forth the effort to create your plan, then what? This is where I see many entrepreneurs getting stuck. They go through the process of creating the plan and let it sit on their desk and start collecting dust. Or worse yet, they completely ignore the plan and run around chasing ideas, strategies or projects that have nothing to do with their actual goals. If this sounds familiar to you, you’ll be happy to know there is an easy solution. You simply have to “WORK YOUR PLAN!” “What does THAT mean, Sydni?” you may ask. Let me tell you: 1. Print out your “Money Map” so you have it in front of you. Create a folder JUST for your plan and related materials. 2. Review your goals and re-connect with what you want to accomplish in your business. 3. Review your deadlines and make any needed adjustments. (Remember to set realistic goals…you can’t build a new website overnight.) 4. Block out time on your calendar to tackle the first project. I recommend spending the first two hours of EVERY day (at least EVERY Monday) dedicated to marketing your business. (Yes, that’s BEFORE you check your email.) 5. Gather the resources you need to complete the project. (That means hire the coach, VA or graphic designer to support you. Buy the product or program that will teach you the details you need to know. Purchase the domain name. Register for your social media accounts, etc.) 6. Keep your appointments with yourself. When it’s time to work on your marketing, don’t blow it off. Don’t re-schedule them. Use that dedicated, focused time to work ON your business. Adjust your mindset so that these appointments are JUST as important as meeting with your favorite VIP client. 7. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Don’t get discouraged if things take longer than you’d like. (Implementing usually does take longer than you think it will…get over it.) Focus on completing one task at a time and making steady progress. Each time you complete a task, check it off your list and congratulate yourself. Better yet, share the details with me so I can congratulate you too! This is how you WORK YOUR PLAN. You do the work….day after day, week after week, you stay focused on your goals and take the action necessary to get you there. I know of a solo service professional who is following this exact system. She created her “Money Map” and is working it week in and week out. The result? In the last three months, she has launched 3 profitable programs that generated over $30,000 in NEW revenue. She has increased her ezine list by 1,300+ NEW subscribers. She has attracted three NEW high-profit-potential joint ventures. She is NO different than you. She’s hasn’t done every step perfectly. Her launches had glitches along the way. She has a to-do list that’s a mile long. She has clients to serve. She has a life to live. But she has recognized that to meet her business and financial goals, she has to stay focused and make consistent progress. And she’s made a commitment to herself to do whatever it takes to make that happen. If she can do it, I know you can do it to. So get to it! “WORK THAT PLAN!” If you need help developing your plan, pick up your copy of “Create Your Money Map“. If you need someone to hold your feet to the fire, ask me for help or partner with a like-minded entrepreneur and become each other’s Accountability Buddy. But don’t wait. The time is NOW for you to start taking action. That big, bold, profitable business you desire is right in front of you. There for the taking. Will you do what you need to do to grab hold of it? I have every confidence that you will!