Are You Planning to Fail?

If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail.

Trite, eh? But it's pretty true. You might not fail miserably, but you almost always are less efficient without a plan. You waste time in forgetting things, you miss opportunities, you become so focused on completing the task you miss out on going deeper, bigger.

A marketing plan does three things for your restaurant:
1. It schedules your time.
2. It holds you accountable.
3. Focuses your efforts.

When you have an idea as to the scope of your tasks, you can take time to prepare accordingly and execute when ready. If you don't plan your time, you'll never find it (you have to make it).

A plan can be either a carrot or a stick. If you knock things out, cross them off of your list, it's a carrot. If you get sidetracked, encounter obstacles, or otherwise do not succeed, it's a stick.

Focusing your efforts means as much as the quality of your tactics. I've seen a lot of people with a lot of great ideas that just don't get it done. They chase another "opportunity" without giving the current one its due. They spread the word too far and wide and never gain enough frequency of message.

Plan your work. Work your plan. Visit the CommonMan Group if you need help getting started (go on, you have to register but it's free).