Set Goals, Review and Measure Often to Stay on Course

If I were to ask you, “Where do you want to be at the end of next year, in three years or five?” what would you say? Selling $1 million, maybe $2 million? Increasing your profits by 15 percent? Having 10 new clients? Spending more time with your family? Going on that long wanted European vacation? Well, whatever your goal, you must envision it, have a plan, work the plan, and measure the plan in order to stay on course if you ever want to see your goals to fruition.

In a past article, I mentioned how important it is to have a marketing plan in order to achieve your goals. I want to expand on that. Let’s review. I have interviewed multiple distributor companies and have surveyed many, many more. What was interesting was that only 3 percent of the folks surveyed actually had a written marketing plan. So that begs the question, how do you go from where you are to where you want to go unless you have a strategic plan to get you there? And in addition to that, are you reviewing that plan and making adjustments? I have asked several of my clients—who had painstakingly taken the time to create their plan—if they had reviewed it, measured it and made adjustments to it, and, sadly, more than 95 percent had not.

Breaking It Down

There are three key steps to take to ensure your personal gratification and success as you move forward. The thing to understand is that these steps work not only in your professional life but your personal life as well. When you can see this and create that balance for yourself, and, most importantly, hold yourself accountable, then you cannot help but be as successful as you choose to be.