Creative Ways to Track and Expand Your Business Goals

Article by Wendy McCance

Back in 2012 when I began blogging, I started a gratitude journal. The blogging community was a terrific, supportive group place and I really grew as a person through blogging.

As the year progressed, I began to have some incredible experiences. Some of the events that evolved had to do with getting writing assignments (this was before I realized that my future was to become a full-time writer).

I remember the excitement of some of the connections I made, the offers I received and the numbers building as I began to see more people reading my blog and following my social media platforms. It was a terrific time in my life.

I began the gratitude journal as a way to remember all of the wonderful experiences I was having. As time went on, I realized that not only was I marking down the history of growth of what would become my business, it also served to inspire me to continue on the path I ultimately chose which was to write and consult as a social media strategist.

I don’t know if it is because I work in a creative field, but I am not one for stuffy, formal charts when it comes to tracking my progress and planning out the next steps to take. Sure I am happy to take a formal approach with clients if that is what they are more comfortable with, but for my personal business growth, I go about charting in a much different way.

So, I’m sure you are wondering what I do to track my business goals. Well, I do several things. Below is a list of how I keep track of what I want to accomplish, milestones I have hit and much more.

How I Track and Expand My Business Goals

I am a huge fan of notebooks. I like writing with a pen better than typing on a keyboard. I grew up using notebooks and I guess it’s where my comfort lies. I also have a favorite pen because writing is so much better when the pen you use feels fluid and isn’t too scratchy when you write.
Lists are my best friend. I write lists for the things I want to carry out in a day, a week and a month. I also plan for what I want to see happen a year from now.
I don’t ever want to forget an idea and am known to keep a stack of notebooks and a jar of pens next to my bed. I tend to have some of my best ideas when I am trying to fall asleep. I have been known to actually jump out of bed and go into the bathroom to write down my thoughts. I am not good at writing in the dark and I don’t want to wake up my husband by turning on a light. I have a horrible memory and writing my thoughts down when they occur helps me to remember my ideas.
I brainstorm. I will ask myself a question like how to get more traffic to my website or how to increase the amount of clients I am working with. I will then search the web for any information that will answer my question and I will write ever idea I can think of big or small.
I read. I read a lot!!! There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t spend time reading. I always have a book or two or six that I am reading. At the same time, I am always finding information online.
I have to admit, I use my Facebook page as a giant bookmark. I find articles that I want to go back to because the information is so good so I post it on my Facebook page.
I still keep a gratitude journal. Because I date each amazing thing that happens, I am able to keep track of how hard I am working and if it is paying off. When I have a month with a lot of entries, I know I am right on track. If I have a slow month, I review what I am doing against past performance to see how I can improve.
I have charts. Charts of expenses, charts for prospecting, charts of future goals etc…
I rely heavily on my calendar. It is a good measure of how well I am doing with my prospecting efforts. I try to get in two meetings a week with potential clients. Three meetings and I feel like a superstar. If I have a slow week, I amp up reaching out to possible new customers that week.
I have found that writing is like good karma. The more I write and put out into the world, the more opportunities come my way. When I am really rolling, I am writing an article a day. I know I am writing good articles when I get positive feedback, increased traffic to the website, more followers and most importantly, people reach out asking to work with me.

I know there is more I could write and I will probably hit publish and then remember something important I should add. I will most likely come back to this article at some point and add more, but for the moment, I have written all I can think of. It’s also 2:28 am and I am finally starting to feel sleepy.

I hope this list has inspired you. Maybe something I have mentioned will benefit you. Maybe it will give you an idea of what would work well to help you get the most out of what you are trying to carry out.

If you have ways that are unconventional that help you to get to your business goals or if you can relate to this list, please leave a comment and let us know what has worked for you.

About
Latest Posts

Wendy McCance

Wendy McCance is a Michigan based freelance writer and social media consultant. Wendy has gained attention as the founder of the popular blog Searching for the Happiness which can be viewed in 9 local papers online, including the Oakland Press. The combination of writing skills and social media knowledge is what makes Wendy such a powerhouse to work with. Stay tuned for opportunities to advertise, guest post and as always, have your questions answered.

To contact Wendy McCance about a writing or social media assignment, interview or speaking engagement, please email her at: [email protected]