5 Goals Every Entrepreneur Should Aim for in 2015

Do you want to start the year off right? Here’s a resolution for you.  Start being realistic.

Entrepreneurs come to me every day with lofty goals and big dreams.  They want world domination or at the very least they want more leads, more sales and bigger paychecks.  What’s the problem with that?  Absolutely nothing! Those are all great goals to have.  The problem comes when they try to bypass all the little goals that must occur in order for the larger ones to become a reality.

They are all looking for one thing, The Holy Grail.  They want the ultimate solution that will solve all of their problems TODAY! Forget creating great content, staying in touch with their clients, building a brand people trust or any of those other long term strategies.   They want that one piece of the puzzle that will make it all fall into place quickly.  They want the all-in-one solution to their problems.  They want to throw a little money at their goals and see them all become reality RIGHT NOW.  What happens when their strategies don't produce that quickly? They leave and move on to someone else who is quite happy to make big promises and take their money.

The unfortunate reality is that life doesn’t work that way. Effective business strategies don't work that way.  

Here are 5 small goals you’d better have in 2015 if you want to achieve long term success:

1.       Persistence – Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither are successful businesses.  Plan to work on your business for many years without becoming a millionaire. Plan to start small, work hard, make mistakes and try again. Plan to evaluate and re-evaluate and then re-evaluate again!  There are small businesses who hit the market with an incredible idea and see overnight millions.  It happens! For most small businesses, however, it takes years of hard work.

2.       Creativity – Stop expecting to just “phone it in”.  Getting the attention of your target audience takes something special.  You’ve got to give them something your competitors won’t.  That might mean a new service or a better method for presenting what you have to offer.  It may mean humanizing your brand and building real relationships.  It probably means a combination of everything I’ve mentioned above.  What it definitely means is that you’re going to have to put some thought into what you’re offering your target market.

3.       Consistency – Do things right and then keep doing them.  Do them for days, weeks, months and even years.  The seeds you plant for your business today may not grow tall tomorrow.  It could take years for all of your hard work to pay off. 

4.       Friendships/Partnerships – No one succeeds alone in this world.  Get out there and meet people! Nurture long term partnerships that will continue bringing in business for many years to come.  I’ll leave you here with one of my favorite quotes. “It’s not who you know.  It’s who knows you and knows what you do for a living.”

5.       Smart Work Decisions (aka Work Smarter!) – There are only 24 hours in a day. Business owners are being pressured to do more with less.  Invest in tools to make your job easier. Create content and build partnerships that will continue sending you referrals for a long time to come.  Invest in the things that will keep working for you long after you’ve stopped working.  A strong blog is a MUST! Automation tools to help you schedule content is mandatory.  A good social media team to help build your business can be a tremendous asset! A personal assistant can be invaluable! Invest in email software to connect with your audience and a good website where you can show off your skills.  Invest in these things and, over time, you’ll see a reduction in your workload and a tremendous increase in your client load!

Are you setting yourself up for long term success in 2015? These 5 goals may not be glamorous, but without them, your long term goals won’t be reachable.

Leave me a comment below and share your goals for 2015! Need additional assistance? Unsure what your goals should be?

Email me and request a call.  Let me help you create the interim goals that will ensure you reach your ultimate goals!