I know, I know. Planning is something a lot of people don’t want to think about right now. There’s so much going on, it’s just a few weeks until Christmas, and things are changing so rapidly that it feels a bit pointless to try and plan anything.
You should do it anyway…..
Why? Because a good plan is the foundation for success, and we all got into business to be successful! I’m always banging on about planning throughout the year, although now is the time most business owners pause and actually give it some thought. Here are some things to think about:
What We’ve Learned From 2020
2020 has definitely been an interesting teacher. But a teacher it has been, and there’s a lot we can learn from it. Things like:
Plans can get derailed: You probably had a lot of grand plans for 2020, most of which didn’t even come close to getting done. 2020 has had us all in survival mode, so we’ve not been focussed on those ambitious growth plans. We never know what a year is going to throw at us, and we need to be really flexible to be able to survive and thrive through the tough times.
You need wiggle room: Has Covid-19 pushed your budget off the rails? Almost definitely. Whether you had to temporarily shut down, you had to change the way you worked, your sales took a dive, or you had to spend a lot of money on equipment to keep you Covid compliant, money’s been on everyone’s mind. Which goes to show you need a bit of wiggle room in your budgets, and maybe even some business savings tucked away, just in case.
Keeping up is important: Since March this year the situation has changed on a daily basis, which means everyone has been struggling to keep up. Staying aware of the news (even if you just read it once a day) can help you prepare for the future and plan for the next few weeks, months of the rest of the year. And it helps with that flexibility I mentioned earlier too.
Benefits of Planning
I know what you’re thinking. With so much uncertainty on the horizon, why should you bother planning anything? Wouldn’t it be better to just live in the moment, adapt to the situation as it comes, and work out your long-term plans later? Well, sort of, but also no. You do need to be flexible and ready to adapt at a moment’s notice, yet you shouldn’t put your business growth on hold either. By putting effort into planning 2021, you will find it a whole lot easier to adjust to any changes coming up – and even see some growth.
A few benefits to business planning include:
Gives focus & direction: There’s an old saying – ‘you wouldn’t get into a car without a destination’ – so why would you run a business without a goal? Planning makes you take the time to sit down and really think about where you want to go with your business, which means you’re much more likely to get there.
Easier to make changes: When you have a plan in place, it’s much easier to adapt to changes in circumstance without going off course. So your whole business success won’t suffer if one thing goes wrong.
Clarity on your end game: It’s important to be clear on what your end game is. Do you want to make enough money to retire at 40? Do you want to expand and build a team? Do you want to live a certain lifestyle, and have your business support that? Again, clarity on what you want makes it much easier to achieve it.
Quicker growth: With even a rough plan in place, you can take the steps you need to grow much quicker. This means that instead of slogging along, you can take the fast lane to whatever your vision of success is.
Comparison for future plans: Finally, when you put together plans in the future, you have something to look back on. You can see where you were, what you had planned to do, and see if you actually managed to do it. You can then move things you didn’t achieve into your new plans, or adjust as needed in your new plan.
The Results you Could See
Still not convinced? That’s OK! You’re allowed to be sceptical, especially with the year we’ve had. What if I showed you some of the results my clients have had, just through planning (and following, reviewing and adjusting their plans), even with the challenges of 2020?
- One client has grown their businesses by 33% – another by 28%, and another by 17%
- 2 of my clients went over the £1m turnover mark
- Several tripled their business turnover
- One added 6 new franchisees
- Another recruited 10 new members of staff to support growth
- 5 new arms to business have been created
- Some of them have hit personal best after personal best
- One bought a new business to add to their current one
- Another bought a new networking franchise, and added 43 members in just a few months
- One even won an award!!
And the best part? Absolutely no businesses closed. This is something I’m incredibly proud of as a coach, and I can’t wait to see wait 2021 has in store for these amazing businesses. I’ve still got a few planning sessions left before the New Year, and even if you miss those, January is a better time to start than never! If you’d like to know more, or see how I can help you plan out a kick-ass 2021, you can book an appointment with me here.
