Planning for 2020
What is your “2020 vision” for your design business? If you have no vision and no plan, how will you get where you would like to go?
This month before we face the new year is the perfect time to review the vision for your company, assess the past year, set goals for the new year and then set a budget to help you reach those goals.
Creating and maintaining a vision for your company is just as important for your design firm’s success as marketing. Having a clear vision not only motivates you and your team, it helps you stay focused and work together to set goals toward supporting that vision.
Researchers have proven that visualizing an outcome increases the probability of you reaching your goals. Whatever the goals for your firm, be sure you and your team visualize those goals often. Think about what your business will look like when you get there. “If you want to reach a goal, you must “see the reaching” in your own mind before you actually arrive at your goal.” – Zig Ziglar
With the vision for your business in mind it’s important at this time of year to review and evaluate your business. If you have a team, involve them. Set work aside for several hours and identify and evaluate this past year of your business. What led to the successes? What needs to improve and/or change to reach the vision you have for your business?
Are you where you want to be? And whether your answer is “yes” or “no”, what goals do you have for the future to reach the vision you have created for your business? Maybe you want to grow your business. For many of you that does not necessarily mean to grow larger — but maybe grow stronger. “Stronger” might be fewer clients, but only “ideal” clients, and larger jobs/fees – working less for more money.
After all, “A goal properly set is halfway reached.” —Zig Ziglar. Ask yourself where you want to be on December 31, 2020. If you don’t have a plan to reach that goal, how will you get there? As the CEO of your business, part of your job description is leading your company in the right direction. As your ship’s captain, plot your course, and then it will be easier to steer your ship toward your destination.
Once you have reviewed your vision, evaluated and assessed the past year, and set your goals for 2020, then you need to focus on creating a budget as an action plan for achieving those goals. Will you add additional members to your team? Do you have a new marketing plan you want to implement?
As you focus on 2020, remember that goals that are written down are more likely to be achieved and the goals you build into your budget are the goals that are easiest to reach.
