I was reading an article(1) in the January issue of IBPA Independent last week (it’s a magazine for members of the Independent Book Publishers Association) that shared “10 resolutions writers and self-publishers can use to boost their careers in the New Year.” As I read through the resolutions, I realized that all small business owners could benefit from this same advice. Advice that the author, Brian Feinblum, says you should commit to, “to make this year a truly successful and enjoyable one in regard to marketing.” Here are Mr. Feinblum’s 10 resolutions, along with my interpretation for independent practitioners.
Stop wanting something that you do so little to achieve.
Identifying your purpose and priorities is important, but taking action is essential. If you are not adding achievable goals toward those priorities into your schedule, maybe they are not priorities at all.
Be honest with yourself.
Accurately assess your practice to learn what aspects of your business need improvement. You cannot fix issues you don’t know about.
Make friends and influence people.
You may practice your craft one-on-one with clients, but you do not (and should not) operate your business all on your own. Connect with friends, family, and your support system to promote your business and to solve problems that arise.
Do your best, then try harder.
Most important things are not accomplished on the first try. Evaluate your plan and try again. Change your plan and try again. Then try harder.
Confront your fears.
Some fears are reasonable, but most are not. Decide if your particular fears are reasonable. If they are, adjust your plan accordingly. But if they are not, dismiss them and move forward.
Set goals.
Like I mentioned above, you’ve got to take action. Remember the S.M.A.R.T.E.R acronym from Business Mastery(2) and set reasonable goals.
Get help.
Having a support system is another essential for success. Find a mentor or a coach or a peer group for support and guidance. Hire help for things that require expertise you do not have.
Double down on your core strengths.
If you are best in the treatment room, get other people and technology tools to help with business activities that take you away from there. Spend more time doing what you are the best at.
Operate under a sense of urgency.
As you well know, time flies. Try to accomplish something on your to-do list everyday. You are less likely to procrastinate if you feel a send of urgency for reaching your dreams now, and not in some arbitrary time in the future.
Dream it. Do it.
Really visualize your dreams, your purpose, your priorities. Follow the advice above and take action to make those dreams reality.
(1) Feinblum B. (2017, January). Make 2017 the Year of Book Marketing. IBPA Independent, 35(1), pp 18-21.
(2) More information on goal setting, planning, and support systems can be found in our popular publication for building a successful practice, Business Mastery.