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Day 3: Getting Organized for Success

Getting organized for a success, this is a big one. We're going to talk about everything that it's going to take to plan and design your business, and I started this with five things I wish I hadn't done and getting organized first success way decided to condense the title, but I am a sui get it as we go through, I'm gonna tell you a few things that I did wrong in the beginning, I didn't do the right way, and I had to learn the hard way, and, um, I do learn a lot of things the hard way, but I want encourage you that you no mistakes are okay, you know, we should be making mistakes if we're not making mistakes were not trying anything. We're not trying anything new, so make those mistakes and learn from them as ugo, and I'll talk about some of those zig ziglar says to get more done, it's not about time. We only all have so much time, but it's about direction and commitment and putting those plans in place, having those systems in place. And so we're going to talk through the things that ...

we want to be committed, tio and I've got this quote, the hubs, because my my husband is retired military, and when it comes to processes and planning, and is very, very structured and organized and singleness of purpose was something that was very very important to know the things that he was doing in the military you know you you've gotta focus this is your you're one thing and you know these days we're all multitaskers and it makes us feel busy and port it and you know really when it comes down to it you're going to get the most done by focusing on what you want to get done and not this and this and this and this and trying to do it all at once and so think about that signal singleness of purpose as we move through these and be picking out the certain things that you need to be working on I'm going to talk through a lot of it and all of it's very important but you might even want to start thinking about categorizing numbering things one, two, three what's the most important thing for me to start working on now and then you know categorizes those as we go design my business it is not in my life we talked about this a little bit in the in the first half but I during the first day but I just want to say again that we want to always be thinking about life goals first what is it that you want your life to look like and how can your business support that instead of thinking about your business goals and then trying to make your life it in, you know, that's where we all come into problems where we're up at two o'clock in the morning with our computer and, you know, I just saw post for my friend julie class meyer on facebook, and she said, you know, I was having an affair with photo shop and, you know, we do we all go through those things where we're having that affair with photo shop, we're having that affair with the misery that we feel of not having our business organized instruction in structured or whatever it is, and we're spending all this time feeling sorry for ourselves or being busy and instead of really taking care of the things that we need to be taken care of, so think about those life goals first and let's make this business work to support those life goals, so setting those goals is going to be, ah, huge, huge part of this and in your work look, you've got a few goals to work through and, you know, just started thinking about the top three goals and start with those personal goals first and then the business goals. As you work through and then you're going to start putting action steps in place and that's really, what is going to take you to reaching those goals is by breaking them down and thinking about, you know, what are the action steps that I need to make sure that this happens? And also when you're thinking about goals, think about goals that are attainable. Now, a lot of times we want to dream and set these lofty goals out there and that's, great, and you should have those too, but goals should be attainable. They should be reachable, they should be, you know, a little action steps if you put this big thing out there and then you don't reach it, it doesn't feel so good, you know? But if you set those action steps since that many goals along the way, it's going to get you a lot further because you're going to feel good about and you're going be confident and being able to reach those goals. So think about the action steps, and then as we move, move through, we're gonna be talking about putting systems together, putting strategies together, systems is big for me, you're you'll hear me talk about systems a lot, systems are repeatable and a reliable and that's why they're so important. You know, in my business and you know, some of you girls have you no know me for a long time you've heard me speak a long time or you've mentored with me and you've heard me say the same things over and over and over the reason is is because they are a scripted it is a system it's a script I say it the same way every single time when I'm working with my client, I know how the first phone call I was going to go I know how the consultation is gonna go I know you know every part of the process, what I'm going to be saying to my client and how working with networking partners the conversation goes the same every single time it is a system and I'm gonna encourage you as we go through, you know you're going to be getting a lot of phone scripts with the course going to be a getting a lot of that all written out for you, teo make your own, but you know, I would encourage you that each of step said the process think about putting those systems in place, right? Things now put those scripts on paper so that you can say the same things every time and my client doesn't know that I'm still being personable and building a relationship with my client and asking them lots of questions and looking for accused that are about them and ways to use that but the process is the same and that's what's important they don't know that I've said you know and this is a notice of copyright and this says that you know, every single time they don't know that I'm staying at the same way I just I know and I need to know that I'm saying it the same way so that I make sure it happens you know and that's the beauty of having those systems in place is that we can make sure what we need happen happens you know, with each and every client so planning my schedule this is a biggie and every one of us has issues with working at times that we really shouldn't be working that's that's just part of our digital world and I have been a photographer for so long now that I you know, I've had to learn tio not beat myself up at certain times and I think that's a gift that you can give yourself is that you know, your friend who makes jewelry or your friend who has a nine to five job she's on the computer sometimes a night too you know she's on pinch arrest or she's answering emails or she's you know, blog's talking or whatever so don't beat yourself up when you do have those times but if you plan and plan your schedule and not just planning your sessions that's always the easy part we can put sessions on the calendar but if we don't start planning every part of our workflow and down to not just client workflow but planning our marketing planning our networking planning time when we're gonna answer emails you know I've got two specific times on my calendar every day where I opened up emails and spend a certain amount of time and emails if stuff doesn't get answered I'm am priety prioritizing and if something doesn't get answered it's not gonna get answered until the next time that's on my calendar for the day you know and that's a big trap that a lot of us have is just having things open all the time in the background so we're every e mail that pops up we're on it you know or we're checking to see if we got another email we're checking to see if our facebook got another notification you know, plan times for that all those things were okay but it's not okay if it's consuming you and taking away from the business in the life that you want to live so we're gonna go through this and depth and really work through a schedule together as well as placing time values on each of the things that we're doing in our business but this is just a fun little year at a glance calendar that's in your workbook that I liked things on paper I am kind of big on having things in front of me that I can write and scribble on drawn and not just on the computer I don't know what your personality is but uh this you can use a digitally or you can use it in your work you can write on it, but I've got some things at the top these are the categories of goals that I feel are really important for myself to go through and really think they're each one of these categories that's gonna be faith family, friendship, fitness, fun freedom, fulfillment and financial and all of those things mean different things to everyone but you know, think through those things and then, you know, take some time and just right through on your planning calendar and just one thing that you want to concentrate on each month is just kind of that and they could be all fun and that's okay, you know, but write one thing down and, you know, just take a little time so uh, you know, just kind of plan out some goals for yourself and you know, they may all be financially may I'll be family, but you know, if you can break it up and think through goals and each one of those areas, it will really help tow no to balance things out and really put things in perspective and um you know all those things again, I would encourage you to write attainable goals on each month, you know, one thing for me, you know, faith is the first category and on my on my bigger like bucket list is reading through the bible in a year it's not gonna happen this year, and so I don't want to put that as a goal, but I can have a goal that every morning I'm either going to open up my devotional that I'm doing right now, which is jesus calling I can open up that and read and write, which is what I prefer to dio or at least I can download it on my not it's on an app on my phone and I can at least open on my phone and take three minutes to read it that I can that's a goal that I can make happen. And so those little attainable goals are what I want to put on a calendar like this, so that is, you know, something that we can make sure happens for us planning calendars you're also going to get will be go going through all these again, I like to look at things daily, weekly and monthly and really plan out all the different categories what my perfect week look like looks like what my perfect day looks like and you've got this weekly calendar oh, here, teo really think through and one of the things that I would encourage you to do is to just, you know, look at a week and say, what is my perfect week? And I would encourage you to plan a family time and fun time and whatever's important to you personally first and then fit your business in around it and so I think what what? You're perfect, uh life looks like perfect week looks like and, uh, on that planning counter, you're gonna want a plan and all these different things, uh, plan the times that you're going to be watching creative alive, you know, and maybe it's, you know that you're going to the editing images every day from one to three and so that's your time to get that online education and in the background, but that is something that we can multi task, you know, we're getting our editing done it's kind of a mindless thing a lot of times, and so we can be listening to things and education. The background podcast I love ted talks, I listen toe ted talks almost every day and you know, once you get into ted talks, they start recommending talks to you and so you can build your your favorites your play list and go through those so whatever it is for you, I'm education your plan, your social media where you're gonna be on facebook when you you know, going to be posting things and we'll go through all that organizing and tracking info of your clients the consultation calls the sessions of thank you re touching the design call placing order to the lab, getting in the orders and framing and patching package you know, there's all these things are so many things and so many hats that we wear and you know it doesn't happen it does fall apart if we don't plan for it and believe me I have been there I have been at my computer in the middle of the night and falling asleep with my head on my keyboard I did it for a lot way too long and you know realized at a point that I have to change things and I have to make this business work for me and sort of the other way around or I have to quit you know, that's just where I was and, you know, even shared with me on the break that that's something that according to her she's giving herself two years I'm making this business happen in two years or I'm doing something else you know and I think that is that's you know, really important and really good you you have to make the decision at some point I am going to make changes I am going to make things different and you know, for me I didn't have a choice I was supporting my family completely one hundred percent when I you know, had that crash and burn and had to decide I have to make this work um you know and maybe it's not that drastic for you but there does come a time for all of us when we're loving photography and we're doing our thing we're taking pictures of all of our friends and the friends of friends and all of a sudden we have relatives we didn't even know we have and you know, and we're doing all these things that were working so hard and all the pleasure is taken away from us because it's not fun anymore it's just work and so if we don't get it organized and we don't plan it as a business, you know, it just it does fall apart so think about planning all these things on your schedule in your calendar we'll work through that a little bit more uh, planning my work flow is the next thing we wantto really think about the entire workflow this is a workflow envelope that we have with each and every client they're going to get assigned a workflow envelope and our entire workflow is listed down the front of it so we can check those things off as we go we'll talk more about that planning my marketing so important to really think through your marketing calendar if I want to have an event in february when do I need to create that marketing? When does that market you need to go out now? We need a plan all those things and back it up and we'll be planning a marketing calendar together. This is what on the right that's a special event calendar on the left of social media calendar planning out what we're going to be talking about each month kind of what our theme is maybe other businesses to network with its got a place to track each of you know how many people like us on facebook so we know if our facebook likes have grown twitter and all those things so planning all those things out it's so important planning your networking this is a low kel publication, but you know, just networking with different businesses and I'm gonna walk you guys through step by step networking and working with other businesses to create partnerships that can help you market your business. So planning your neck working displays have been very important to my business planning your client communications another thing that is so important really thinking through those phone scripts like we talked about and what we're going to be communicating to the client and how planning for help anybody feel like I need an employee but I can't afford it so we'll talk through that and really make a plan, you know, whether you can get organized and make it happen yourself or you can outsource or you can hire help and outsourcing is a great thing planning for going retail, this is my studio, and, um, you know, or not to be playing for retail, or do we plan to stay in our home studio or on location and just is valuable, you can show clients what you want to sell in your own home, show them what's most important to you show them that you value photography and hang porch it's of your own family and your home, and you can do that even if you don't have a studio space and then plan for your income. And so so important to running a business is really making a plan and putting those projections in place for what you want to make and how you're going to make that happen, and we'll spend some time going through setting up your projections for two thousand fourteen, and this is something that I feel is so important, you know, a lot of times when we begin and were pricing and even setting obsession fees and planning, all these things were just throwing numbers out there, we really have no idea, maybe we're comparing ourselves to photographers a through z, and then, you know, pulling out a number and you know, instead we really need to be making a plan for that we really need to be thinking through how much we need to bring in how many sessions we can do and how much each of those sessions seemed to average, so we'll talk through that you gotta projections worksheet in your workbook that we'll be working through and plan your pricing and pricing is a struggle for everyone. It doesn't matter who you are, everybody started struggles with pricing, and so we'll go through pricing and pricing for profit pretty thoroughly um, and then planning how to raise your prices, how to start talking to your clients and letting them know you know, hey, we've got some great new things here's what's going on and you know how to make that a comfortable transition with their clients. So planning preparing is definitely the name of the game setting those goals, setting a plan, setting your schedule and really making sure that all those things get in place as we move along. And, uh, with your downloads for today, you're going to get those planning calendars, those air going, toby principles for you that you can print out and start working on a lot to cover once again what I love that you're laying out and letting us know that these are the things will be working rue over the course of these thirty days on dh planning doing I loved hearing the word plan over and over and over again so that was day three let's see if we have any questions specifically had to to this content um what do you say to the person that uh can make the list and make the plan and say I'm going to have marketing mondays and finance fridays but then the monday hits and I forget what's not me right someone else what do you see that that other thing? You forget what you planned well and a lot of that has to do with putting those action steps in place and, you know, attainable things and marketing monday's leaves a very broad so what is marketing monday mean, who am I going to be contacting making those networking list? And you know, on monday I'm going to contact to new businesses every monday for the next six months or whatever, you know your goal is break it down so it's not just I'm going to do my books on friday and then you're like me ten years ago and you just stare at the books you know instead of actually getting it done, you know, I really think through what you know it's easy like I said to put on your calendar here's what I'm gonna shoot these air session times but if we open it up, tio a marketing monday. What does that look like? It's? Very easy to say. Well, I need to go grocery store today, you know?