The New Year is a time for resolutions and a time to vow to get areas of your life on track that may have spiraled out of control. For professionals, it is an ideal time to step back and reanalyze their approach to business.
“In addition to declaring to lose weight or exercise more, people stand to benefit by refreshing their business strategy,” said Jania Bailey, president and COO of FranNet. ”Whether they own or operate a business, or are interested in starting one this year, now is the perfect time to organize their priorities.”
Bailey adds that, appropriately, January has been designated National Get Organized Month as a way to remind people that a little structure can go a long way in achieving particular goals. Bailey says that when order is lacking in an organization, confusion can result and cause frustration on the part of owners, employees and even clientele.
The following are suggestions that Bailey recommends business professionals follow when approaching their business strategy for 2010:
- Set realistic goals: When you are designating business goals, it is crucial to not be overly ambitious. Instead, be realistic, and break your goal down into manageable portions, with corresponding action steps for each month, week and day.
- Stick to a schedule: If you find yourself meeting with the same person or team of people to go over particular items, try scheduling a reoccurring meeting so you have a designated time to convene. This way, when a question or comment pops up, it doesn’t have to interrupt your day; you can put it aside to be addressed in the standing meeting.
- Communicate your vision: You may already have established a direction for your company or future business endeavor, but have you shared it with others? Employees, investors and other supports should all be aware of your plan. The more people you have aligned with your goal, the more people you’ll have to keep you on track.
- Allocate your time appropriately: Time is precious and should not be wasted, so do not spend time on menial tasks. Determine what is critical to the success of your operation and then delegate accordingly. Try starting each day with a to-do list of essential tasks.
Bailey stresses that these organizational skills are not just for established business professionals. In many ways, entrepreneurs and those business people still finding their way actually may be in greater need of some daily and long-term structure.
“When you are attempting to establish your business presence, it is critical to stay on task and follow the guidelines mentioned above,” said Bailey. “Doing so will keep you focused and can help you define the business model best suited to help you reach your goals.”
Local FranNet consultants help people investigate and explore a variety of franchise business ownership options. They offer direction, information, resources and support to help people find a business model that meets their individual needs.
