I have a friend who is getting married this afternoon. Together we have planned, prepared, and practiced every little detail. Over the year details have changed, but we were always prepared with a sure fire backup plan.
This got me thinking about business, because in a sense a wedding is like a business. It is something you plan for and work at, it’s not always predictable, and there is always room for improvements. I asked myself, how does having a plan affect the outcome of whatever you may be planning?
Why not make plans for your business’s slow season, months in advance? When you hit a rainy day or a customer cancels, take the free time to brain-storm. Even if you come up with just one idea every rainy day, by the time you hit those slower months, you will have a list full of ideas to test out.
Perhaps you need a new piece of equipment. On that rainy day, take an hour to research the top pieces you’d like to purchase. Find a dealer you’d like to purchase it from. And be sure to ask around for pricing. Figure out the lifetime cost of the equipment and make sure you can afford it. Build it into your cash flow and be prepared to pick it up when the best opportunity presents itself.
Maybe you are looking to try out a new service next busy season? The groom of said wedding tested out a new hairstyle months before the wedding…the bride hated it. You want to be sure to research best practices, so that if – like the groom’s new do – you don’t think it’s going to work, it won’t be a catastrophe. Find out what pieces of equipment you will need, what kind of skills may need to be acquired, etc.
Remember, these don’t have to be complex ideas. These are just simple thoughts to kick start you when those slower months hit. Sometimes you have a great idea, but then you lose it a day or two later. Carry a notepad or use your mobile phone to remind you about this idea later on when you have time to really process it, or better yet, check out our paperless note-taking software, Evernote.
Knowledge is power my friends. The more ideas and thoughts you create, the higher chance you have to come up with something that will truly benefit your company. For my friend, the wedding itself was never predictable. There could be rain, someone could get sick, the sound system may be broken. But with a solid back up plan (or two), at least she had some assurance that things would run smoothly. So use up those rainy days to the best of your ability. You know what they say, “Rain on your wedding day means good luck!”