Realistic Goals...How To Set Them and Why

Written by Chuck and Sue DeFiore


So many people want to start a business today and be rich tomorrow. Sorry, people it doesn't happen that way. If it did, everyone would do it. There is no free lunch...it takes hard work, determination and realistic goal setting.

Think aboutrepparttar businesses you have worked at, look atrepparttar 117674 businesses in your community. I mean really look. When you go torepparttar 117675 dry cleaners, how many other people are there also. Think about what it takes for that dry cleaner to open every day. How many people he needs to come in with their dry cleaning in order to make a profit. OK, dry cleaning doesn't excite you. How about that specialty shop you want to open! You want to open a retail store that caters to people that buy Hummels, knick knacs, bric-a-brac. Will you only handle certain types? How many will you order of each type? What arerepparttar 117676 best sellers? How many will you have to sell to make money for yourself, and to also keep that shop open, or will you sell them by mail order only from your home?

Want to do business onrepparttar 117677 web? The same principles apply. How many visitors to your web site do you need to make a sale? How do you get them to visit? How do you get them to stay? You getrepparttar 117678 idea. You need goals in order to measure any progress in your business.

Realistic goals come from a well thought out mission statement, which leads to a very good business plan, which leads to a well thought out marketing strategy. You should have short and long term goals. The short term goals will coverrepparttar 117679 upcoming 6 months to 2 years. Your long term goals will go further out, let's say overrepparttar 117680 next five years. Remember, you need to give a business at least two years in order to give it a real chance. Not all businesses make a gigantic profit immediately.

Let's say you want to start a house cleaning business. Your initial plan is to work it yourself, and add independent contractors as needed. You decide on your mission statement, you make up your business plan. You want to make $500 per week, working six days per week, 10 hour days. Your marketing will include advertising in your local paper, flyers, and mailers. You can clean 3 houses/apartments per day at $25-$50. You also have to decide your price points, what will you charge for a 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom, or a house with 3 bedrooms 2 bathrooms, etc. After all this is done you can better determine how many of each type you will need each week to meet you goal of $500 per week. These are your short term realistic goals. Your long term goals are to eventually hire independent contractors to dorepparttar 117681 work. Obviously,repparttar 117682 more clients you market for,repparttar 117683 more independent contractors you need, but alsorepparttar 117684 more income you can generate. You will make up long term goals forrepparttar 117685 third, fourth, and fifth years of how many independent contractors you want to add and how many clients you want. Your marketing plan will reflect what you need to do to getrepparttar 117686 numbers you are projecting.

Marketing Tips 5

Written by Chuck and Sue DeFiore


Typical methods of advertising-newspapers, radio and television are effective if used properly, but there are other, less expensive ways to get your company's name out.

Local or cable television is an inexpensive alternative torepparttar traditional forms of advertising. Even if you have no experience advertising in this medium, there are companies who specialize in lending a helping hand. Even if finances are a concern (as they are for most of us), you'll be surprised to discover a 30 second spot television ad can cost as little as a few hundred dollars.

Many areas have public auctions on local stations that will advertise your product, if you donate up to a certain dollar amount. The number of advertising spots will depend on how much you donate.

Remember also to send press releases to your local television and radio stations. Many times they will come out and do a story on you, if it is of interest torepparttar 117673 public.

We volunteered to do resumes for people out of work and sent releases to allrepparttar 117674 radio and television stations. One ofrepparttar 117675 three major networks in our area, sent someone out to interview us, and we were onrepparttar 117676 6 and 11 o'clock news.

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