Many small business owners work from project to project, day to day, and never stop to look at the big picture when it comes to their business. This will not only burn small business owners out and cause them to lose focus on what the company offers, but it will also make the small business less productive and efficient. I manage several clients at once, and to do this without going crazy, I create short-term and long-term goals to help me determine where I want my business to go and what I want to accomplish. I also create spreadsheets and checklists for each client for me to use. And, regularly, as I use these forms, I determine if there are tasks or content that need to be modified for next time.
I recommend that my clients take a few hours each month or each quarter to review all the projects in progress and revisit areas that may need refining and modifying. Ask yourself these questions to help you see the big picture and what needs to be changed.
Questions to ask to determine the business’ big picture
What do I want my business to excel at?
What do I spend a lot of time on?
Is there a spreadsheet that I can create that will help manage my to-dos?
Should my tasks be done by someone else to save me time?
Am I missing any information on any of my existing task lists? Do I have goals for my business? Am I reaching my goals?
Am I getting the clients I want? What is the ideal client for my business?
Can this business make me money now or in the future?
What is my why for doing this business?
Who is my target audience?
Who are my competitors?
What is the best way to market my business?
How should I price my services/products?
There are so many more questions you can ask yourself. These questions will start you off in the right direction.
Benefits of answering these questions:
The benefits of answering these questions are to keep you focused on the day-to-day tasks, as well as looking at the big picture. The goal is to do both. Focus on your daily tasks and keep a clear vision of your business goals.
Now it is your turn! What are your big-picture goals? How often do you update them? Do you make task lists to organize your business? I would love to hear from you.
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