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KB BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Setting goals only gets you so far I n any business, there are plenty of reasons why setting goals is a good thing. For one, it gives us a brass ring to reach. In fact, I’ve written many articles that are either about setting SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely) goals or used the concept of SMART goals in the piece to describe some action. Yet, setting goals only gets you so far. Plenty of people set goals and then never achieve them. This could be sales goals, weight loss goals or simply better health goals – like quitting smoking. In this article, I want to detail some thoughts that focus on why improving your processes in your business can yield better long-term results than simply setting a goal and working toward it. Start with the definition of processes proc·ess noun plural noun: processes A series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end. “military operations could jeopardise the peace process” Synonyms: procedure, operation, action, activity, exercise, affair, business, job, task, undertaking, proceeding “faxing a 70-page document is an expensive process” Now, think about that. “A series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end.” This is why it isn’t enough to set a goal. Goal setting is great. But without action, it’s meaningless. It’s a transparent idea. It is the process that you build that pushes you towards achieving that goal. You should be far more concerned with the current path you are on than your current score. Your processes define that journey. Get to the next level For example, let’s say that you state that you want to “get to the next level” for your shop. I’ve heard that phrase probably a million times in my career in this industry. What does that even mean? It could be sales. It’s the million- pound club. Or the ten-million-pound club. Maybe more for some people. But it is always out there like an apple that you can’t quite pick off the tree. It could be technique. Winning awards and peer recognition. Mastering your craft. Who doesn’t want to be known for their quality? What about the physical size of the shop? Moving from a garage or basement to an actual location. Building your own facility. Adding more zeroes to your square footage. The ‘next level’ could be anything. For most, it’s a pipe dream. Why?... Lacking processes As many start out in this industry on a wing and prayer, it isn’t difficult to imagine why they never achieve their goals. People don’t know what they don’t know. Some will work crazy hours and ‘do what it takes’ to make it and still fail, because they haven’t spent the time building out their processes – “a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end”. Therefore all that hard work is like driving your car blindfolded. Does that sound like your shop? Zooming off towards wherever with your hair on fire as fast as you can go without a clue? But here’s the truth: too often people in this industry have convinced themselves that fantastic success only comes after some sort of massive action. “All I need is one big client” or “Just wait until we get an auto, then our problems will be over!” or “As soon as we launch our new website we’ll be huge!”. That’s where people get it wrong. So, let’s take a step back and slow down. Evaluate the situation for a minute. What type of processes are we talking about here anyway? Well, literally everything you do in your shop. Have you defined each step so there is a ‘shop way’ of doing something? Or – and this is more common – do you leave it up to your crew to figure it out and the results flow from there? Sales processes: The lifeblood of your shop Since more sales are the lifeblood of your shop, let’s use that as an example. It’s a good one, as setting sales target goals is something that every shop should be working on constantly. First, let me ask you this. Would you define your sales process as ‘reactive’ or ‘proactive’? This is important. A ‘reactive’ sales process is where the customer contacts your shop and you help them with their order. It’s reactive because your sales growth is tied to people contacting you. No calls = no sales. You are more of an order taker than anything. A ‘proactive’ sales process is more aggressive. You are hunting. There is a process in place to identify new customers, reach them and close the sale. Your sales brain is always a few weeks ahead. Maybe it is a little mix of both? It’s okay either way. But it is important that you define your processes and improve them continually. Process improvement – the 1% rule Here’s a nugget that I want you to take away from this article. In anything you do, try to get 1% better every day. Small, incremental change is where your growth is going to happen. 1%. Daily. That doesn’t seem like much does it? However, it’s the effect of compounding that is going to make the difference for your shop. Although not all improvements are about money, for an example to demonstrate the power of what I’m talking about, let’s take £100. If we compound that daily by 1%, on day 100 it has grown to £270.48. By year’s end, it is £3,778.34. Therefore imagine the pay-off to your business if you start trying to make things better by tiny increments. One small step at a time. This could be in more training for your staff. One more cold call to a potential new customer. Redefining your communication for clarity. Actually posting that short video in your shop on Instagram. Sending a thank you card. Building out your automated www.images-magazine.com JULY 2019 images 41