As we head into September, typically a 'back-to-school' mentality descends on us all.
Is it just me or does the cool weather make you go crazy buying notebooks and burying them in the office like squirrels hiding nuts for the winter?
Regardless, the fall is a tremendous time of harvest, reaping rewards, and preparing for next season.
In alignment with this, I've had a couple of requests from readers lately. Requests asking for more advanced material about how to build a business to six, and then seven figures and up.
In today's feature article, we begin a conversation about metrics; Metrics being a boring word for a very exciting thing...watching your business grow!
What are your weekly, monthly and annual revenue targets? Be sure to fill those in in your own Metrics Worksheet.
What can you 'see' when you look at this spreadsheet? Put it differently, can you see how the different parts support each other?
E.g. If Rows 44 and 50 are strong each week...it follows that Row 30 will too?
(If you get prompted for a password on your computer when you click the spreadsheet, just hit cancel.)
Or, if your Row 30 is low one week, what other elements will you look at to 'see' what you can be doing?
If you choose to implement a Metrics Worksheet, and I hope you do, what three main things will you particularly like to measure and watch...what will 'tell' you you're doing the right things?
Click to add your comments or questions:
Are you sick of talking about doing things, getting trained in this and that, and not getting anything done?
Maybe you 'get' the whole Multiple Streams concept, and now, are asking...so what? What do I do about it?
Fair enough.
What with all the emphasis on metrics this issue, I would certainly understand if you thought I'd gone numbers crazy.
But some things, on the other hand, can't be measured, and that certainly was true this month as my husband and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary.
Even after all these years, I don't seem to have done anything that truly surpasses making a meaningful life with this man. :-)
One of the most common questions I get asked by small business owners might surprise you.
It's not really a very immediately practical question.
But it is a big question. And I think the quality and size of your question is a reflection of the person asking, so this is a good thing.
The question that I get asked most often by business owners is "How do I get to be a million dollar business?"
If this question is on your mind too, you can submit your specifics here.
I'll be answering many more of your detailed questions about getting to 7-figures at my blog this fall.
At any given time, we're helping a handful of businesses grow from six figures to seven, and I've noticed four things that 7-figure business owners seem to have in common.
Have you ever asked yourself "Why should I write a book? (ebook, ecourse, article, insert your item here.)
Or perhaps you're one of many who've wondered "Who am I to create a coaching product...with all the other talented voices out there..."
How about "There's nothing new under the sun, I can't possibly say anything new or interesting..."
If you said yes, fair warning...there is a reframe ahead for you. :-)
I've said it before and I'll say it again...No matter what business you are in, there are things your customers want to buy, that you aren't selling them yet.
As a business owner in pursuit of meaning and money...are you listening well enough to hear what those things are?
Do you understand the difference between selling them something you want to sell, versus something they want to buy?
My husband reminded me of this - again - when he told me about a scene from 5 Easy Pieces...a movie made the year I was born and I've never seen, but has, apparently, Jack Nicholson in it.
Thank you to the ICF-Region 2 Virtual Community for their recent call with guest Susan Austin on the topic of 'What it was like to work with Thomas Leonard.'
There is no recording, but the call notes are a unique insight into the topic, as well as exposure to Susan's inimitable style and frankness which I hope we'll continue to see more of.
If you'd like to become part of this Virtual Community with its attendant benefits, visit the ICF Virtual Community Chapter here or the Yahoo! group site for this group can be found by clicking here.
Now here are the notes: