Everyone starts reflecting on their life in a really general way and sort of haphazardly coming up with resolutions for the new year. . .resolutions that they rarely follow through on.
As the Systems Chick, I?m here to help you overcome overwhelm by zooming in on a particular area of your business and creating an exciting action plan that?ll rocket you to success in 2013.
We?re zeroing in on launching because it?s an issue that?s near and dear to my heart.
Launching my very first info-product was one of my biggest accomplishments in 2012.? The e-course into which I poured so much of my expertise and created with love got overwhelmingly great reviews.
My big mistake?? Not planning my launch properly.
The launch left me feeling burned out and disappointed because I didn?t meet my goal in terms of filling the course with the ideal number of participants.
Now, I?m committed to turning things around and want to share with you what I learned so that you don?t have to make the same mistakes!
Myth #1:? Planning forces us into a box, limits our freedom to go with the flow, and constrains true creativity.
Fact:? Plans can be incredibly liberating. . .if you approach them in the right way.? Think of them as guidelines rather than cages.? They eliminate all that time wasted on the unnecessary guesswork, which prevents you from dedicating your energies to your most important creative work.? Plus, when you?re in the heat of creation, a flexible plan will prevent you from being overwhelmed by all the things you need to accomplish to bring your work to completion.
Myth #2:? Planning is yet another overwhelming thing on my to-do list.?
Fact:? The big dreams for your business often include doing things you?ve never done before, which means you don?t have a clear sense of the actions you need to take.? It doesn?t mean that you can?t plan it! ?Sometimes this is the very best time to invest in a few sessions with a launch specialist who can help you break everything down into a doable plan that you?re excited to implement.
Myth #3:? Advance planning is impossible given the ever-changing nature of the online environment.
Fact:? Doing business in today?s world resembles competitive surfing rather than recreational sailing.? What we need to do is master a few skills or programs and plan to open ourselves up to relevant innovations.? You don?t have to stay on top of?or follow?every new trend! ?Mapping out your flexible plan won?t pre-define every step, but it will help you keep focused as you navigate our changing world.
5 EASY STEPS FOR PLANNING YOUR LAUNCH
1. ? ? ? ? Create a goal for each quarter.
Write down 3 MAJOR products or services you want to launch in the next 12 months.
You might want to spread them out throughout the year, so you can give each one your full attention.
?
EXAMPLE:? I want to create and launch a new mini e-course in April 2013.
?
2.????? Specify a single area of focus for every month.
This area must be directly related to achieving your ultimate goal for each quarter, but this laser focus doesn?t mean you won?t be doing anything else during this time.? You need a core focus so you don?t get overwhelmed or burned out.
?
EXAMPLES:? In January, I?m going to focus on creating content.? Then, in February, I?ll zoom in on production, and in March, it?s all about promotion.
?
Doesn?t your project feel much more manageable when you approach it this way?
?
3.????? Break each of the focus areas down into tasks.
Create a list of things that need to happen for each part of the project.?? At this point, you don?t need to squeeze it all into the one month to which you assigned it.
?
EXAMPLE:? Creating my content requires defining the main idea. I also need to decide on the basic format (e.g., downloadable PDF, content on individual web pages, a podcast series or video case studies?).? During production, I?ll deal with all these formatting details.? I?ll discuss these decisions with my editor, create an outline, generate the first draft, send it to my editor for feedback, and finalize the draft.
?
The project is starting to take shape, isn?t it?
?
4.????? Assign dates for the tasks.
Now it?s time to put these actions on your calendar.? Working backwards from your ultimate goal is a great way to plan.? Once you?ve mapped things out, share your deadlines with everyone involved in the project.? Confirm that they?re available during the necessary times and make sure they mark things down on their calendars to further ensure your project is going to happen according to schedule.
?
EXAMPLE:? To start production in February, my content has to be ready by February 3rd, which means I?ve got to send the final draft to my editor no later than January 25th.? That means my first draft has to be done by January 15th.? As such, the outline needs to be discussed with my editor by the 8th.? Therefore, I need to set aside a few hours on January 3rd to define the main idea and decide on the format.? By this Friday, I?ll email my editor to make sure these deadlines work for her.
If you?re a visual person like me, working with a wall calendar will make the planning much easier.? This way you can see your entire year at a glance and play with the dates, especially, if other team members ask you to revisit certain dates because of their other commitments.
?
5.?????? Define weekly milestones
Now all you have to do is record these weekly goals in your calendar and block off specific times to make them happen.
Life will happen and so will crisis situations.
But you?ve got to treat the time you need for your own projects as sacred as the time you work on your projects for your clients.
?
Planning in advance will allow you to see your availability and schedule your client work and administrative tasks around the work that needs to happen for you to reach your weekly milestones.
Break down those chunks even further, so that they become manageable:
?
EXAMPLE:? Between January 8th and 15th, I need to create the first draft.? I?ve got 5 working days, but let?s leave 1 day out in case I need to take care of a crisis situation.? That leaves me with 4 days.? On those days, I?ll block out 1 ? hours every day and will work on the draft first thing in the morning. . .before checking my email.
?
Voila!? You have a plan!!!?? Revisit it regularly.? Stick to it.? Make it happen.
Yes, keeping promises to yourself will be extremely difficult.? Don?t be hard on yourself?it?s difficult for EVERYONE.
Find an accountability partner and subscribe to iDoneThis.? Those two will keep you on track like a charm.
?
Your Challenge.
Find a quiet place and set your quarterly goals and monthly focus areas for 2013.
In the comments below, let me know what you will be working on next year.
Remember, it all starts with a declaration.? ?In 2013 I will ??
Do it now.
******
Natasha Vorompiova is the founder of SystemsRock and architect of business systems that work.? Her clients are small business owners, who start their businesses with passion and a desire for freedom, but find themselves stuck and buried in day-to-day operations.? Natasha creates systems that help her clients to get more done in less time, while paving the way for their greater profits and long-term business success. Check out www.systemsrock.com for simple ways to grow your business and get your life back.
charles colson humber raffi torres michael mcdonald jon jones vs rashad evans earth day 2012 jon jones rashad evans
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.