Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.
~John Steinbeck
I have a new idea!
As a small business owner, new ideas happen all the time and it is easier to embrace it than fight it. If you are thinking “easier said than done” you are correct! The following is a way to management all those great money making ideas.
1) Monthly themes – choose one big idea – redo your website, write out your marketing ideas, create a new customer process – and make it the theme for that month – you can even plan out the next 6 months this way and you’ll stand a better chance of actually getting these done. This is a great idea when it comes to having too many irons in the fire. The problem is that when we try to do it all at once, we go into overwhelm and don’t get anything done. Make it simple, take the long view, and watch what happens.
2) Weekly reviews – When it comes right down to it, once you’re clear on your new idea it becomes a set of projects. When you start to look at the “big idea” as the habit of focusing on a group of projects, you can begin to break those projects down into action steps or tasks. Your weekly project review should include everyone in your organization and pose the simple question – “what needs be done next” to each project on your plate.
3) Daily goals – While you may have many things on your daily calendar, make it a habit to schedule one project time slot with yourself or someone working on a project each day. This is the only way to keep the focus where it belongs – on constant advancement and improvement.
