With only a few weeks of 2009 left, it's time to start thinking about setting goals for 2010. In order for your business to grow from year to year, it is helpful to lay out exactly what it is you would like to achieve with your business, and question how to best challenge yourself and give your crafting business direction.
Many crafters are very experienced with goal setting and planning, but others may need more organization. Start with one, long-term goal. What would you like to have accomplished a year from now? You can then break down the process and time line for achieving that goal, and take a practical look at what is necessary in order to achieve it.
For example, a year from now, I might want to have my items in 3 additional boutiques, as wholesale accounts. To make this goal possible, I can break it down into smaller goals that I complete over time. Within the next week, my goal is to select which line(s) of products I want to get into stores and perfect their packaging for presentation.
Within the next month I want to establish my wholesale policies and create a line sheet or wholesale catalog.
Within three months I need to have researched as many boutiques as possible that cater to my target market, and preferably specializes in my medium.
Within 6 months I need to have contacted each of these shops, established some type of relationship with them, or have made appointments to meet with each of them that are interested in new accounts.
Within 9 months I need to have collected the wholesale orders from the boutiques that are interested in my products, have enough quantities made, and have them packaged to fit my brand image.
Within 12 months all of my orders should be filled and all products should be delivered and set up in these boutiques, according to the agreements and time tables discussed.
For some, a goal like this may have been quite enough, but for others, many more goals might be needed. New product lines, new packaging systems, the purchasing of new equipment, or the participation in a new craft show could all be creative, ambitious goals.
A notepad, a planner, and a calendar may all be helpful for achieving your goals. Checklists are also extremely helpful. For some, month-to-month and week-to-week planning may be enough, but for others, like me, day-to-day and even hourly scheduling may be necessary to make sure that you stay on task and get done what you need to in what little free time you may have.
