Set Goals For Your Start Up Business

Starting any business is difficult, but the ones that survive are the businesses with a road map. Not directions to the local art supply store, although that helps, but a business map; a set of goals to aim for, goals that will guide you along the road towards your destination - success.

Your goals need to be clear and concise and committed to paper. It's not going to work if you keep them in your head; you're likely to forget them or adapt them easily to suit rather than fight to achieve them. It is acceptable to deviate from your goal plan slightly and still reach your objective, but changing goals totally will result in you not knowing where your business is headed or how to get where you want to be five years down the line. It is vital, therefore, that you work out what it is you ultimately want to achieve and then set smaller, more attainable goals along the way. This will make the journey seem more manageable and give you things to aim for. It is a long road to success, so by adding a few attractions along the way you make your journey seem smaller and you're less likely to wander off the road and get totally lost. Once you have settled on your goals, write them down a nice, crisp piece of paper and laminate it. Pin it on a wall near your work space and read it everyday to inspire you to achieve them.

Short Term Goal Setting

These short term goals are the bite-size chunks that piece by piece will lead you to your final destination. They are vital to success and help you to keep focused on what you are doing. It is easy to get sidetracked when running an art business, but by using your short term goals you will learn to utilise your time achieving them.

Short term goals are easier to achieve, thus giving you more confidence as you reach each small milestone. Each goal reached is one step closer to Nirvana. Let's look at some short term goals and see how simple they are to achieve:

Example Short Term Goals:

• Join an art society and exhibit one painting.
• Attend a local craft fair and sell two paintings or items you made.
• Arrange for two local craft shops to stock your product on sale or return.
• Advertise in three local papers for one week.

Long Term Goal Setting

Long term goals are larger chunks of the journey that each short term gaol ultimately leads to. They are slightly harder to achieve, but not impossible as long as you try to follow your map. You could make each long term goal twelve months apart with twelve short term goals leading to each one. The smaller your steps, the more likely you are to succeed, and more importantly, notice any changes in the business as you go. Going at your goals all gung ho will not achieve anything other than failure.

Example Long Term Goals:

• Building and maintaining a website and domain.
• Selling your work abroad.
• Holding a solo exhibition of your work.
• Annual turnover of £50,000 in second year.