Business Journal – Start Yours
Business Journals seem like a lot of work if you have never done one. For times like now, they become like an old friend who listens without judgement. Their page corners tattered, and the cover worn smooth, the info they hold is the foundation for a movie or a fine documentary.
The Pandemic of 2020/2021 made journalists of many folks, and some new business owners. Although it was a lonely time, the questions prompted responses as if there was a dialogue between owner and customer. Those that kept a journal during those hard times, for the most part, answered 4 questions each day.
Question #1 – What good things happened today?
Make notations on stopper counts, Sales, special orders, etc. Record the positive things that happened and how they came about.
Question #2 - What other things happened today?
Question #1 is the happy events of the day. #2 is the less than good from the day. But it isn't just a place to complain, it's also a place to record what mistakes you made, how you fixed them and what you need to do diffently the next time. These two are the past and present measures of your business.
Question #3 - What did you do to grow your business according to you plans and the items discussed in #1 and #2 questions?
Have you created a new product, made changes to old ones, booked another on-line class, or helped another business owner solve a problem?
That’s what businesses do – solve problems, for either other businesses or the consumer. Selling is just the desired result that occurs when you solve their problem. Getting paid for it allows you to help them again or others.
Question #4 – What Did I Do to Give Back to My Community?
Is there a local group you are active in that gives back? Are you a member of your town’s Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Committee, or Tourism committee? What do you offer that could solve a problem for a local non-profit? Any of these efforts lets your community know you are interested in making your community a better place.
This should also match with your Brand promise and goals. Your Business Plan is an outline of what you intend to do for your customers, your community and yourself. Taking the time to include these activities in your annual plan makes them an important part of your overall sales plan.
At The End of The Day –
Some final steps for you to take:
Close out the daily records.
- Make a list of the items you wrote about in questions #1 and #2
- Plan to take care of those the next day – your Business Journal can be your friend and partner in helping solve others with their problems.
First Day
If this is the first day of the rest of your business life and you’re just starting with your journal, consider this:
What do I write on the first page of my first-ever business journal?
- Today’s date
- The name of the business and when you started.
- A description of what you do.
- An overview of who your customers are.
- Write about the hopes you have for your business.
- A bullet point list of achievements you are happy about.
- A bullet point list of challenges and problems.
Try these 4 areas to cover daily(in no particular order), if you don’t like the questions above
- A review of outstanding work
- The good and bad things that happened in the day and the impact they had, or will have, on your business goals.
- Issues and challenges that might be coming up.
- Any worries – real, imaginary, business or personal.
Remember - #Journal Writing Matters and using a Journal for your Business increases your success rate. Download yours today.