Every good business starts with a big idea. Most entrepreneurs, freelancers and small business owners I know have gotten their start because they had a big idea and decided to take a chance.
Great businesses run on great ideas, but believe it or not, there is such a thing as too many big ideas! Now I’m not saying to throw out some of those plans that you have churning around your brain constantly (If you’re anything like me), but prioritizing them! I can’t tell you how many business owners I’ve worked with who have gotten muddied down by trying to achieve too much at once!
Here are some easy ways to prioritize and execute your big idea to ensure that your creativity isn’t a detriment to your business!
Write it Down – Some creative minds are constantly churning out ideas while the stress of not undertaking them proves to be too much! Some business owners find themselves struggling with the stress and anxiety of leaving a good idea unexplored. Write down every great idea you’ve ever had so that you don’t feel stressed out about forgetting something that could really benefit your business.
Does This Idea Provide Value? – This is a key question to ask when determining what ideas to pursue when it comes to your business. You may be really excited about an idea but not realize that at this time, the idea and the results don’t actually provide your business with any measurable results. It’s okay to be creative and have ideas but don’t let yourself become overwhelmed by your own creativeness. Any ideas you implement should always come with real results.
Find the “Low-Hanging Fruit” – What ideas are the most achievable? How easy are they to implement given your current day-to-day schedule? Find the idea that will take you the least amount of time, make you feel like you are making progress, and that also sees results.
Make a Mind Map – When you find the most realistic idea to achieve, create a mind map! This is a fun way to get your thoughts on paper and truly see if your idea is achievable. All you need is a pen, coloured pens/pencils and a piece of paper. Start by putting your idea in the middle using a single work and create branches of relatable words and concepts around it. Use colours to help these things stand out and refocus your creativity!
Put Some Big Ideas on the Back-Burner– Don’t toss those ideas out completely! Save them for another day when you know you have the time to commit.
Set Goals and Deadlines– When you’ve figured out what big ideas you can achieve, set a goal outcome and deadline. Remember, these should be realistic and not compromise how your business currently operates
Create a Marketing Plan – There’s nothing worse than a big idea that flops because of poor execution! Like anything you do in your business, you need a strong marketing plan! Find out what avenues work best (social media, email, print ads, etc) for promoting this new idea.
Use worksheets and content calendars– A good way to stay on task when it comes to your big ideas is to map everything out and plan your content. Use worksheets and content calendars to keep you focused so that your big idea doesn’t fizzle out.
You shouldn’t have to feel burdened by your business or your own creativity. Sometimes the key is harnessing in your creativity so that you can make power plays when it comes to your business strategy. Always write down your big idea on a white board, computer or notebook, but really take the time to sit down and be realistic about the process when it comes to making those big ideas happen.
Have a safe and productive Monday!
