Goal-Setting During a Pandemic
As business owners, we inherently strive to move forward. We want to be better. We are continually working on a strategy for the next place as entrepreneurs. BUT – How do you set goals when it’s hard to see the end of a crisis? If you’re having a hard time thinking about how your business will look at the end of the pandemic, you’re not alone.
Here are my tips for building strategy during these tricky times:
Plan for 2020 & 2021 as one long bad year.
When I’m looking at event pros’ cash flow plans, we keep getting caught up in the postponement of events which translates to the postponement of cash. This leads to a lot of questions: do we adjust sales goals for 2021 to accommodate the 2020 events? What if I run out of dates? What if I don’t have enough cash?
I’m finding that it’s much easier to plan for one SUPER LONG ERA rather than trying to confine events into 2020 or 2021. Also, we don’t know how long we’re gonna be semi-isolated (and sans events). Let’s create our plan inclusive of 2020 & 2021, together… and focus on what survival looks like at the end of that road.
Create the survival strategy for now, and the real strategy for later.
This long #shitshow year, or 2020-2021, is the year of survival. What does that look like? Let’s not get wild and crazy with ideas on growth and expansion just yet. Sure – explore a pivot or two if you fancy that. But, the name of the game right now and thru the end of this pandemic is SURVIVAL.
But – don’t get lost in just that as the end-all-be-all. Let’s look beyond. What does your ‘real’ business look like? What do you want to be building after all this? What are your ‘real’ sales goals? What are the opportunities for growth after the pandemic? I find it so refreshing to do this: create the ‘real plan’ and not just the survival plan.
Don’t push it.
Feeling the COVID blues? Tired of dealing with emotional clients and their cancellations and postponements? Exhausted from (maybe) having kids at home for the last 5 months? Then this may not be the best time to plan your next BIG business steps.
Take a break. Your business will still be here next week, or next month. Revisit this with a stronger mind and more rest. And, when you’re ready, start thinking of life after all of this chaos.
Need someone to talk to? Talk to me.