Now that the year has comes to a close and January has already begun, some of you might be sitting down to start setting goals for the coming year… and some might be asking what’s the big deal?? Do I really have to? The short answer is yes. Even if it’s just one or two, goal making for your business is an important tool of measurement for in the coming year. Here is our list of 3 reasons why it’s important to write out your goals each year!
1. Visualizing
As creatives, we love to dream big and fantasize about what our business could be. And as creatives, we sometimes we lose sight of the business steps to get there. When you don’t lay out a goal, you get busy or distracted by other things, and your drive begins to fizzle out even just a few months down the road. If you sit down and take time to visualize what you want your business to look like in the next 3 months, 1 year, 5 years, etc. it will not only give you a reference to measure where are are, but also remind you of where you want to go. Even if it’s a HUGE MEGA GOAL that seems impossible today, you can break down what the stepping stones look like to get there.
2. Personal
Owning a small business means your business goals affect your personal goals. Especially financially. Setting a goal for your number of clients and profit per session will give you an idea and target of where you want to be financially by the end of the year. This can also affect your pricing. Do you want more clients this year? Do you need to make more money? How many sessions can you handle or want to handle each year? Answering these questions by writing goals can alter your pricing year to year. Too many times, small businesses fail because they aren’t keeping track of their numbers or their financial goals. These are way too important to ignore!
3. Growth
There’s nothing better than sitting back at the end of the year to see how your business has grown! But how will you know if you have nothing to measure against? By having your goals written out for your business, you’ll be able to track the growth of your business and see what changes may need to be made. In Iris Works, you have the ability to set goals based on session number, client number, leads, or billing. You can also set these goals based on day, week, month, quarter, or year. There are many ways to track this but what better way to see your growth throughout the year than as a visual right within your studio management program?
So don’t put it off. Take the time at the start of this year during the slower season and really think about the type of business you hope to have and the goals you need to meet to get it there!
