You're dedicated to design, but are you serious about success?

Business by Design reports on the need to plan for tomorrow, today.

THIS MONTH:
+ Focus on the Future
+ You serious?

+Focus on the Future
It's all well and good that you read trade publications and belong to a design association and attend design industry events.

That means you're dedicated.

But have you written down your financial goals for this year and next? Do you have 3-5-10 year plans for your business? Have you set up your company so that you can sell it when you retire?

If so, that means you're serious.

And that means you're unique among design professionals.

Most interior designers, kitchen and bath professionals, real estate stagers, showroom managers and others are clueless when it comes to analyzing their business today, and planning for tomorrow.

They're so busy being busy, that they forget to focus on the future.

They don't devote enough attention to what's working best in their business now, and how they can plan for profitability down the road.

They don't give enough thought to hiring better people, working with better clients and charging higher fees in coming years.

And they don't plot "money while you sleep" strategies -- ways they can profit without being on the job site.

Being serious about success doesn't necessarily mean working more. It means thinking more.

It means getting away for a few hours -- better yet a few days -- and brainstorming about your business.

Think what's making you, and costing you, the most money. Think growth strategies. Think changes in the industry, and how to adapt your services accordingly.


+You serious?
You're serious about success if you...

+ review your goals daily

+ contact those you seek to influence monthly

+ raise your fees, prices, and markups annually

+ hire those more knowledgeable or skilled than you

+ work with a business coach

+ have a retirement exit strategy

+ spend all your time on tasks which generate the most income

+ market your services to the highest caliber clients

+ follow a strategy to improve your site's search engine rankings

+ seek business-building advice from mentors and even clients

+ study books and tapes on success