The Power of Consistency in Your Business
Entrepreneurs are known for their ability to hustle, to meet deadlines, put in extra hours, and close deals. When it comes to clients and the work they have promised them, small business owners are disciplined in value and delivery. But if I ask you as a business owner if you consistently work on your business, you might try to change the topic. That tells me that you have not experienced the power of consistency in your business.
I get it - client work pays the bills and the deadlines are clear. Maybe you owe the client some copy or design work, or you have to prep before a meeting or have to follow up after. That type of discipline is a no-brainer when we want to get paid.
When we are in the thick of doing what we love and serving our clients, we lose track of how we found them in the first place. Overwhelm is like a neon sign when you don’t know what’s going on in your business. Once you have an awareness of what you have to do - even if the list is long - a feeling of empowerment and ability will take over.
To consistently attract new clients, you need to establish a marketing plan, improve your own operations, track your cash flow, and focus on goals and strategy. Yet I hear many business owners admit that they are inconsistent in their marketing, operations, bookkeeping, and all the other tasks that come with owning a business. They are even less consistent with setting and planning out their goals.
What happens when business owners decide to consistently work ON their businesses?
Consistency keeps your eye on the prize and your feet on a grounded path to success. Instead of being reactive and struggling to get through the day-to-day, aka riding the entrepreneurial hamster wheel, you can be proactive - moving forward at a steady pace toward your big goals. You can identify and implement strategies for scaling - for offering new services or exploring new audiences.
Consistency:
Keeps you connected and maintains your messaging - This eliminates the stress and overwhelm of being disconnected and unsure of where you left off with your strategy. Instead, you're being intentional in how you connect with people. Consistent focus on your business marketing results in stronger branding which can generate new leads and sales.
Allows for measurement - When you know what’s working and what’s not, you can adjust to the needs of the marketplace, and see which changes you need to make. Which services are you selling and at what price points? Who is buying those services? Where are they coming from?
Builds Mindset, Motivation, and Momentum - Accomplishing all the things necessary to run your business each day gives you the confidence you need to move forward.You will be aware of all your wins, even the small ones.
Prepares you for the unexpected - Being consistent doesn’t mean you can control everything, but it helps with flexibility when something comes up. If you are utilizing systems and processes daily, any bumps in the road won’t feel that big.
Prevents Vacation Upheaval - We have all worked our fannies off to take off for a trip or a holiday. We have also worked our fannies off when we returned from trips - things we could have easily done before we left if we were intentional with our time. Consistency enhances productivity.
Keeps you focused on and invested in your strategy - when you work on your business a bit each day, you can see your progress. You can realize all the steps you’re taking to run a successful business, look back, and see how far you’ve come.
Draws attention to your numbers - seeing the cash flow of your business and making choices around increasing that flow leads to stronger financial health. This helps you create a realistic budget and know how much revenue you need to bring in to match your goals.
Consistently showing up and calling the shots is a real confidence builder. You’re taking the regular actions of a business owner. It’s better for your client experience, and it’s better for you.
So how can you make sure you stay focused ON your business?
A framework to plan and manage can help you stay focused on the right activities. I use two levels of planning:
Quarterly goal setting and action plans. This keeps us focused and moving toward our vision. It provides time to reflect and think about our business and what we want to accomplish. Then we set goals for the next few months. What do we need to focus on now? We can bring those back-burner projects to the front at the right time.
The weekly planning process. That’s where we really take control of our time. Rather than passively waiting each day to see what happens, we are intentional with how we use our time. The action items for those big projects get prioritized. We take care of our marketing, our bookkeeping, all the little things that are important but so often get sidelined.
If you’re ready to experience the power of consistency, let’s schedule a time to talk about which type of planning is the best starting point for you.
P.S. Ready to stop spinning in place and get to the other side of your goals? Here are several ways I can help:
Download my free resource Show Your Schedule Who's Boss - these tips and strategies will help you take control of your time. This is the first step in taking control of your business - kathleen-lawson.com/show-your-schedule-whos-boss
Join our next CEO Power Planning Session and spend two and a half hours ON your business. During this facilitated workshop, you’ll set and prioritize your next 12-week goals, break them down into an executable action plan and create a resource plan - kathleen-lawson.com/ceo-power-planning
Schedule a Laser Consult Session. This is a one-time 90-minute session for the entrepreneur who needs expert strategic guidance. Use this time to work through an idea, develop an executable 12 week action plan, streamline or create a process or system, or improve routines around daily and weekly execution. kathleen-lawson.com/laser-consult