Goal – A – Mania!!!!!
Wow! I can not believe 2015 is upon us. 2014 was an incredible year for me. At the start of the year I set some big goals for myself. Some I met. Some I did not. I am learning to be okay with that. The biggest goal I accomplished this year was finishing and publishing my book, “Intentional Networking – Your Guide to Word of Mouth Marketing Greatness.”
Earl Nightengale said, “People with goals succeed because they know where they are going.”
If you go on a road trip with no destination in mind or no road map, you may end up in some very treacherous situations and God only knows where. A goal is a destination. A written plan is your road map. There will be some detours along the way. Even roadblocks. But don’t let that stop you from moving forward towards your goals.
Here are some simple goals for 2015 to get you started on your way to success. Identify what industries offer good referral sources for your business. Identifying two to three should not be too difficult. Then identify two to three people you know or would like to know that are in those industries. Your goal could be to develop a relationship with each of those people. Be prepared to find out how you can help their businesses, when possible.
Another simple goal can be to identify some networking events that could really help your business grow. For example, a house painter would do well to attend meetings of the local Home Builders Association. A psychiatrist might do well attending events hosted by The American Academy of Family Physicians. Be intentional. Figure out who your target market/referral sources are, and then go to where they are meeting and networking.
One way to help set goals is by using a vision board. Essentially it is a graphic representation (i.e. with photos) of what you want to achieve. Diana M. Needham tasked me with creating a vision board for myself this year. I am going to cut out a bunch of pictures from magazines of things I want. Who I want to be. What I want my life to be like. I have already acquired the board. Now I just need to apply my visions (my goals) to it.
Diana Needham is a great coach for accomplishing marketing goals and helping authors publish and market their books. Maybe you could use a coach to help you reach your goals in 2015. Not all coaches are expensive. As a matter of fact, there may even be some free resources available, such as SCORE (Service Corp of Retired Executives). As long as you are behaving in integrity, do whatever you have to do to accomplish your goals.
If you need a coach, ask me. I know several that can help you with many different areas of your business. Beware: not all coaches are created equal. But I know a handful that are great at what they do. By the way, I can coach you in generating more business by Word of Mouth. As a matter of fact, I even wrote a book about it. Oh, I think I mentioned that earlier.
My friends, I just want to wish you all a Very Happy New Year! 2015 is going to be off the charts for all of us goal-setters. Now go set some goals and get a plan in writing!
See you in 2015—on the road to success!!!!!
