"Knowing is not enough... we must apply."  - Goethe

You are now called MYSELF, Inc. You are a product that you are selling. Don’t resist this fact. There is nothing wrong with selling. It is a simple process of finding someone who needs your product, and then filling that need. You have become a hero! Get it???

Step One: Overview, Intentions, Wishes, Core Values, The “Bottom Line”

• What are your core values?
• What is your overall time frame for each set of goals?
• What is your target market and target geographical location?
• Who are ideal clients for you? Who will benefit from your services?
• What is your “best case scenario”, and is this possible?
• What is your “brand” and what is unique about you / your company?

Step Two: Specific Measurable Results and Financials (SMR&F)

For example: if you wish to increase the contacts on your mailing list or in your network, you want to set a target number of contacts and then make a plan on how to make that happen – this could be collecting business cards at networking events or increasing visits to your website or blog.

• What specifically can you quantify to show progress, growth, and trends?
• How many new clients, leads, prospects… per week, month, quarter is your goal?
• What small key indicators can you name to show results? Get creative here!
• What is your bottom line monetary number to break even, to show a percentage of profit, to keep your doors open, to invest back into your company, to grow to the next level?
• What can you create for more “top of mind” exposure – a new website, a blog page, an updated LinkedIn profile, a Facebook fan page, a mailer postcard, an info sheet with FAQ’s, a one sheet as a “60 second commercial” for your business, testimonials? (This is all measurable)…
• How do you measure business lunches, emails, referrals, social media contacts, one-on-ones, open houses, workshops, public presentations, and your networking ROI? (It all create positive forward momentum…)

Step Three: The Nuts and Bolts

• How do you describe your products, services, and offerings?
• Who are you personally and professionally and how do you fit into the picture?
• What arenas, industries, and fields do you work in and how do your products and services benefit these?
• Why would someone want to pay you for your time, service, product, knowledge, and expertise? (Saying because I’m the best is not a reason)
• What is your 60-second commercial for your business?
• Who holds you accountable and what are your accountability systems?

Step Four: Sales and Marketing

• What professional organizations can you leverage for exposure and networking?
• What networking events, organizations, etc would benefit your bottom line?
• What are your social media strategies – LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter?
• Would your company, life benefit from having a blog?
• What media contacts can you create – print, radio and TV?
• What does your print message look like – do you have an FAQ or Info Sheet?
• What does your website / resume look like – does it need updating?
• Who can you meet or get introduced to who could help your marketing plan?
• What are your sales style, approach, results and appointments plans?
• What is your budget for marketing?

Step Five: Life-Balance and Wellness

• When do you schedule in family time, private time alone, time for socializing, time for hanging out?
• How often do you wish to work out, take a walk, cook a delicious meal, meditate, do yoga, spend time “unplugged”?
• How often do you wish to have an “admin day” to catch up?
• What kind of volunteer or charity work do you wish to do?
• How often do you wish to read or learn something new… what is it?
• How often do you need to take care of children, a family member, pets, other domestic or household things on your “to do” list?
• How often do you wish to include spiritual activities, if applicable?
• What are your overall health, wellness and work-life balance goals?

We recommend keeping this to five pages (or less), and spending about 3 to 6 hours on this, give or take. If you are sitting at your computer screen with a blank page and a blank stare, then we suggest that you unplug, and not THINK too much. Keep in mind that some of this is strategic… and some of it is instinctive. There are more elaborate versions of creating such a plan which we would also recommend for the long-term, or if you need to position your business or your idea in order to be considered for outside funding. However, to begin, this simple five-step plan is highly recommended. It seems to work because it is focused yet broad, and it gets people ON TRACK!

And of course, the MOST IMPORTANT aspect of this whole process is to “show up for the party” – that means, it is vital to actually DO THE WORK, create the plan and then set up your accountability system so that it works for you: I agree to attend two networking events per week and work out at the local gym three times a week for an hour each time. My accountability partner is John and he will check in with me by phone every Monday before noon from April 1^st to July 5th.

I commit to creating a plan by _______________________________.

My Accountability Partner is _________________________________.

I will check in with him/her every ____________ (Monday) by ___________ (noon) until ____________ (June 1).