In all of my years as a businessman and coach, there has been one concern that clients have had more than any other: how to increase sales and revenue. At the end of the day, it’s important to always keep those goals in mind, as they can be the largest indicator of success or failure as a business. However, it is also one of the hardest things for business owners to tackle. Whenever we want to go for a new goal or height, our biggest obstacle is going to be between our own two ears. Our mindset will ultimately determine everything.
One dangerous mindset that all of us have from time to time is the idea that you’re doing well right now, so there’s no need to continue generating leads and sales. This trap leads to the feast-or-famine cycle in business and can completely destroy it. Always remember: no matter how much success you’ve had, you cannot rest on what you’ve done in the past.
However, even the best mindset and systems in the world will do nothing without action from you. So, the key is to combine a winning mindset with consistent action. That may sound overwhelming, but it can actually be fun if you do just one thing: focus on one day at a time.
Here’s a daily routine that I challenge you to try for at least one quarter:
Every morning, get a blank sheet of paper out and write down your revenue for that month/quarter/year. Then decide how many days you want to work in that time. Divide the amount by the days, and you’ll have the daily amount you need to make to reach that goal.
Then, write down at least four actions you can take THAT DAY to hit that goal (call x number of prospects, generate sales via email, etc.)
Look at your calendar, and block out time to do those activities. Remove or reschedule items that will not generate revenue or help you reach your goal.
Most importantly, DO the things you laid out!
At the end of the day, ask yourself if you hit your goal. If not, reflect on why and what you can do differently the next day to hit it. Then, forgive yourself and start the next day with a clean slate.
This last step may be the most important of all. You need to take some time to reflect on each day, but you also need to give yourself permission to start each day with a clean slate. If you didn’t reach your goal, simply think about why and brainstorm ways to reach it tomorrow. Do not beat yourself up or decide the whole thing is a bust because of it.
This also means there are no carryovers. If you were short $100 today, making an extra $100 tomorrow does not matter. What you do every day matters for that day only. Keeping each day separate like this allows you to focus on just one step at a time, and before you know it, you will look up and be at the end of the path. You may even surprise yourself and go way beyond that initial goal.
If you’re ready to take on this challenge for yourself, I’d love to hear your progress, questions, and insights on my Facebook page!
