Catch up on some related episodes:

What to focus on to double your results this year

Today’s talking points:

Want more profits in 2024? It all comes down to planning. I’m sharing exactly how you can create a month-by-month profit plan that will guide your businesses forward.

Don’t forget to download the 12-Month Gameplan guide that goes alongside this.

Click here to download Your Boss 12 Month Gameplan!

Let’s talk about the B word - BURNOUT.

Burnout is a massive problem for women entrepreneurs.

Let's face it, we're not only starting and growing businesses, but we're also raising families, caring for aging parents. We're doing so many different things on top of growing this business.

But one of the key reasons burnout is such a massive problem for women entrepreneurs isn't just that there's so much to do… it's that we don't always have a clear plan for how we are going to show up and run our business.

That's what we are going to talk about today in the second part of the Unsexy Secrets to Sustainable Success series: the simple, easiest way to help you start planning your most profitable year in your business yet.

We dive into:

A client case study from someone who has implemented the strategy I’m going to share with you
Why strategic planning truly is the missing piece for a lot of people (+ the difference it can make in your business & life)
The unsexy truth around the only way you’re going to get out of this feast or famine, panic driven cycle in your business
A refresher of my 5-part marketing strategy
How to create and implement a 12-month profit plan in your business

Hope you’re ready for this… don’t forget to download the resource here.

Client case study: check out the strategy in action

Let me share an inspiring case study with you about one of my incredible past clients, a product-based business owner who has blown me away with how she implemented what I’m going to share with you today.

Picture this: she joined my one-on-one coaching program back in 2019, and initially, I admit, I was a little nervous because I mostly worked with service-based businesses up until that point. However, she had a unique business selling accessories like scrunchies, bow ties, headbands, and more - a refreshing change from my usual client base.

When she first came to me, she had been in business for years and was making decent money, but she couldn't break through to the next level. She was wearing all the hats in her business, with no support system in place, and the lines between work and life were blurred. Burnout was knocking on her door, and her business felt like a never-ending whirlwind.

But she had a vision. After only selling men’s products, she decided to launch women's products during the pandemic, and that's when everything changed. However, she was still handling everything herself, and it was taking a toll on her business and well-being.

So, we began our coaching journey, and I introduced her to the power of 90-day planning and breaking down goals into actionable steps. We focused on her weaknesses and selected the right strategies that would move her forward. It was incredible to see how laser-focused she became.

One of the crucial changes we made was eliminating constant discounts and flash sales. Instead, we planned out her launches with more detail, aligning them with the seasons and themes. She had a luxury brand with premium products, so the price point had to match. This shift allowed her to protect her profit margins and uphold the value of her work.

With a clear plan in hand, she got ahead of her promotions, creating excitement and anticipation around her collections. She put herself back in the driver's seat, and her business started to serve her, not the other way around. No more crazy last-minute panic - she was confident and in control. She didn't jump into wanting to do all of the things at once, she knew her weaknesses and she selected the right strategies for us to focus on together so that we're going to move her forward.

The results were astounding. Multiple 10k months, consistent revenue, and products that sell out in a heartbeat. But the best part was that she reclaimed her time and achieved her dream of solo trips and more freedom in her business and life. That is truly what it’s all about.

strategic planning is the missing piece

Zooming out from the day-to-day grind and gaining a big-picture view of your business can be incredibly challenging, especially when you're in hustle mode and dealing with what seems like a million little fires. Trust me, I get it - everything feels like an emergency in the thick of it. But here's the game-changer: pressing pause and zooming out to see the bigger picture allows you to identify what will make the most significant impact the fastest.

Let's be real; we can't implement all the things at once, as much as we'd love to. It's crucial to get strategic and focus our time and energy on the most crucial aspects. Take my client above as an example - once she zoomed out and got crystal clear about her offers, the true value proposition of her products came to light. This clarity helped her figure out where to invest her time and energy to get ahead in her business. The secret sauce lies in having a clear plan like this - it makes all the difference.

This strategic planning process can work wonders for any type of business. Over my years of consulting and coaching small businesses, I've seen this approach succeed with makers, designers, coaches, writers, website designers, and everything in between - be it service-based or product-based, it doesn't matter. The key to unlocking power and profits lies in strategic planning.

Many business owners find themselves stuck in hustle and burnout mode because they're perpetually focused on day-to-day emergencies, unable to get ahead and instead feeling like their business is running them. Don’t worry if this is you, I’ve got you. I’m sharing exactly how we can break this cycle and regain control.

You need a profit plan

The unsexy truth is that the only way to break free from the launch feast or famine, panic-driven cycle in your business is to hit pause, slow down, and implement a profit plan.

Now, what exactly is a profit plan? It's honestly one of the simplest and most effective strategies I've ever used with my clients. This document is designed to keep you laser-focused on the essential elements that will propel your business forward. I've been using this approach with my clients for years.

Interestingly, larger businesses and corporations have robust plans in place to guide their growth. As small business owners or solopreneurs, we sometimes feel like those corporate strategies don't apply to us. But the truth is, these are foundational business practices that allow corporations to work efficiently, succeed, and be more profitable by allocating resources effectively. And guess what? We can learn from them and apply these concepts to our own businesses.

A refresher of my 5-part marketing strategy

Once you've downloaded your 12-month profit plan, you'll notice that it comprises two main sections. The first section focuses on documenting your marketing strategy. Now, you may have heard me discuss this framework, which consists of five key parts: attract, engage, nurture, invite, and delight. Where I often see small business owners falter is when they miss one or more of these essential puzzle pieces or fail to consistently implement them into their business.

For those of you who are new to this concept, get ready to have your eyes opened. And if you've heard me talk about this before, consider it a valuable refresher. Let's walk through each part of this five-part marketing strategy so you can determine what to do for each area.

Attract: This part is all about getting your business and brand in front of new people who aren't familiar with you yet. Some key attract strategies include search engine optimisation (SEO) to capture organic traffic, getting in front of other people's audiences through interviews, speaking engagements, or collaborations, and utilising paid advertising to reach new prospects. I typically recommend choosing one key attract strategy to focus on for at least 90 days before adding another layer of complexity.
Engage: When people visit your website, 99% of the time, they'll leave without taking any further action. To engage them and maintain communication, consider offering something valuable in exchange for their contact information. This could be a free discovery call request, basically a pink spoon piece of content that provides a taste of what you offer, or any other enticing offer that encourages them to stick around and learn more about your business.
Nurture: This is where most of us think about marketing - nurturing your existing audience. The key to successful nurture marketing is consistency. Show up regularly for your community, whether through weekly emails, podcast episodes, or other forms of content. The goal is to deepen your relationship with your audience and provide value consistently.
Invite: The invitation stage involves making offers to your audience to encourage them to take the next step with your business. Whether it's a product, service, or program, make sure it’s inviting to encourage people to sign up and join in.
Delight: After someone becomes a customer, the delight phase focuses on delivering an exceptional experience. Look for ways to wow your customers and take their experience to the next level, as happy customers are more likely to become loyal and refer others to your business.

Once you've answered these questions and determined your five-part marketing strategy, you'll gain clarity on where to focus your efforts. Remember to set clear goals for each part and measure your results to ensure you're making progress.

The next step is to create a calendar for your business. Much like larger corporations, you need a plan for what you'll be selling and when. This forward-thinking approach allows you to avoid last-minute scrambles and operate more strategically. Take inspiration from department stores that plan promotions well in advance, aligning them with different times of the year. By doing so, they have a clear roadmap for their sales and marketing activities.

As you create your calendar, consider a few key factors, including your launch timelines, seasonal promotions, and any special events or collaborations. With your marketing strategy and calendar in place, you'll be well-organised and more able to grow your business efficiently.

How to create and implement a 12-month profit plan in your business

So, it’s time to create your 12-month profit plan.

This is what I keep in mind when I’m making my plan. Firstly, I crunch the numbers and set specific goals for each of my offerings and how many clients I need to attract for each one. I think about seasonality, as certain times of the year are more conducive to successful launches.

To ensure a well-balanced and effective plan, I think about how my personal life fits into the schedule. I avoid planning major launches during my children's school holidays or significant personal events to reduce stress and align my promotions with periods when my audience is more likely to be engaged.

Using a big at-a-glance calendar, I map out my offers throughout the year. The first focus is on my signature offer, the one that generates the most revenue. I plan to promote it three to four times a year, making sure to space out the promotions to provide ample breathing room for my audience.

I also consider upgrade offerings, exclusive deals available only to existing clients. I allocate time for freebie offerings to grow my email list and attract new audiences between major launches. By strategically growing my audience, I can avoid overwhelming my current subscribers and ensure a steady stream of new leads.

Once the calendar is set, I reverse-engineer my marketing efforts. For each promotion, I plan the attraction, engagement, and nurturing strategies to generate excitement and interest in the offer well in advance. This approach allows me to be proactive and in control so I avoid last-minute scrambling and see bigger, better results.

The 12-month profit plan is a powerful tool to guide decision-making, maintain focus, and shield against distractions. It enables me to stay aligned with my marketing strategy and revenue goals, providing a clear roadmap for business growth. I encourage you to download the profit plan and implement it in your business to experience its positive impact on your results.