Are You Bringing the Right Business Idea to Life?
As entrepreneurs, we have this problem I like to refer to as #allthethings.
You might also know it as shiny object syndrome…
Basically, we have all the ideas all the time, and it’s hard to stick with any original plan we create for our business. (Can I get an amen!?)
The advice I’ve always heard — and have used myself in the past — is to keep a journal nearby so when you get those shiny, new ideas, you can write them down quick and go back to what you were working on.
Well, that advice hasn't always worked out so well for me, and, on several occasions, I’ve ditched my original plan to try out a new idea.
Sometimes it served me well and other times, well, it didn't.
Now, I have a simple practice to help me help decide if I should stick with an existing plan or try out a new idea.
And, naturally, I'm going to share it with you!
How to know if you’re bringing the right business idea to life:
1. Grab a piece of paper, and make two columns.
2. At the top of one column, write down your original idea / plan.
3. At the top of the other column, write down your new idea.
4. Then, answer the following three questions about each idea:
a. How will this idea impact my business?
b. How will this idea impact my brand?
c. How will this idea impact my community?
5. Assess: Which idea benefits your business, brand, and community more?
6. Move forward in your decision with confidence!!
Psst. It's always easier to sell the thing you're most passionate about.
how I’ve applied this practice in my own business:
Last fall, according to my original plan, I was supposed to do a mini promo for my Define Your Brand Mission sessions.
However, I got excited about a new idea and decided to create and launch my 2018 Creative Business Plan instead.
When my old plan and new idea went head to head, I considered:
1. How will this benefit / impact my business?
I will be traveling throughout the month of November making scheduling one-on-one Define Your Brand Mission sessions tricky. So, giving my community the option to buy the 2018 Creative Business Plan allowed me to serve my community's needs without me directly needing to be there.
2. How will this benefit / impact my brand?
I’ve been called the “branding queen” and “brand vision keeper” by several of my clients so I wanted to be sure that launching a business plan wouldn’t hurt my brand recognition and credibly.
Overall, I decided you are a creative business owner. I am a creative business owner. Your brand and business are SO intertwined that at the end of the day I end up helping you with both your brand and business.
3. How will this benefit / impact my community?
This is the question that sealed the deal for me! I put out a poll on Instagram after talking about creating my own business plan and 94% of you said, “Girl, I want to create a business plan for 2018, but I don't know what to include / where to start!"
Some business ideas are better left untouched in the long term, but for others, it’s just a matter of identifying what’s best for you business now and what’s best for your business in the future.
PS. No matter what time of year it is, it’s never too late to set goals and make a plan and the Creative Business Plan (yep, that one) is available in the shop to help you do just that!