5 Ways to Use Back to School to Get Back to Business
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This is a guest post by Terra Bohlmann of The Working House.
As mogul moms we have to re-adjust our personal and professional lives during the summer months to keep our kids busy.
Camps, vacations, play dates, sports, trips to the beach, and before we know it, summertime has flown by.
The upside to the bittersweet end of summer? More time to focus on business.
Here are five ways to use back to school to get back to business.
1.Draft Up an Action Plan
Take an hour to think about what you want to accomplish for your business in the next three months.
Then, write down it all down. Writing your goals down on paper forces your brain to take action and increases the likelihood you will succeed.
Here are a few questions you can ponder to get your started:
- What business achievement will make me truly happy?
- What exactly am I selling?
- How much money do I want to make in the next 3 months?
- Who is my target market?
- How can I reach my target market?
- Do I need help to reach my goals?
Planning is a major component of business success. The single hour you take to create a plan helps you stay focused on the priorities to grow your business. The plan doesn’t have to be perfect and will likely change along the way. That's ok. The important thing is that you have a plan, in writing.
2. Meet New People
Now it’s time to expand our circle by meeting people in person and online. It’s not about pitching our businesses, but instead, about establishing genuine relationships.
To find local in-person networking events in your area, check out www.Meetup.com. To connect with people online, get involved in niche discussion forums and blogs that target your customer market and/or connect you with leaders in your field. Also, take advantage of Twitter chats and LinkedIn groups.
3.Brainstorm with Other Like-Minded Ladies
Brainstorm or mastermind.
No matter what you call it, putting together a few heads together to come up with creative ideas for your business is always better than thinking alone.
Gather a group of like-minded women for an hour or two and talk business. Meet up in a unique location to really help spark creativity.
4. Connect with Former Customers
Former customers are often overlooked as a way to grow your business. Send an email, make a lunch date or connect on social media with those people who have done business with you in the past. Let them know what you have been up to and ask about how things are going for them. Even if they don’t need more of your products or services right now, they may refer you to others who do.
5. Educate Yourself to Grow
Take a cue from the kiddos going back to school and set aside a few hours a week for YOU to learn, too.
There are so many online courses, blogs, books and podcasts (even whole degree programs online) that will teach you everything you need to know to grow your business. Figure out what you need to learn to take your business to the next level and take time to learn it.
Ultra successful people are always learning. And there are a lot of people who are willing to teach you their secrets to success. Take advantage of this opportunity to grow personally and professionally.
Now that the kids are back in school, you have more of your most precious commodity - time. Well, at least until you hear, "Mom, I'm home!"
How are you going to use back to school to get back to business?
About the author:
Terra Bohlmann, PMP, is the founder of TheWorkingHouse.com and author of “The Boss in Bunny Slippers: A Woman’s Guide to Leadership Success…All While Working from Home” and “Think Outside of the Coffee Shop: 47 Interesting Places to Host Meetings”. She coaches entrepreneurs (especially mompreneurs) to learn how to grow their businesses using the web and virtual teams. She believes in empowering entrepreneurs to give them the budget-friendly tools and techniques used by big companies. Stay connected with Terra by visiting her blog, subscribing to her eNewsletter, HOME|WORK, or following her on Facebook and Twitter.
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