What Are Your 2006 Goals?
by Penney Rudicil
OSSN Eastern Regional Manager

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Running a business is much the same. You need to figure out where you want to be in a year, five years, or 10 years -- and, what it will take to get there and what steps you need to take to make a road map, so to speak.

Remember when, as a kid, you worked really hard to get good grades in school, practiced your catching or hitting in Little League, or danced until your feet were sore? Then, when you received your report card, hit that home run, or saw your proud parents in the front row at your dance recital, you realized it was all worth it. In fact, you immediately started working harder for the next time!

Throughout the years, we have all been conditioned to work towards our ambitions. When setting your business (or personal) objectives, do so with measurable but (more importantly) obtainable goals.

Ideally, you would write out your goals for a whole year -- but obstacles or changes are bound to come up, so you need to visit your goals often and adjust them as needed. This could be semi-annually, quarterly, or even more often.

Each agent and/or agency will have goals based on the different aspects of their individual business; however, many may be the same.

Here are some goals you may want to consider:

Increase your customer base by ____%
Increase your sales by ____%
Increase your sales force by ___ ICs
Complete a marketing plan for 2006
Sell ___ more groups than in 2005
Visit ___ new destinations, resorts, or cruise ships
Complete ACC, MCC, ECC, CTA, or CTC programs
Complete _______ education programs
Attend ___ OSSN Chapter meetings in 2006

If you want to have a successful business that's going to survive with all the changes of our industry, you too may have to make some changes. It is essential to have written plan, with a direction and goals of where you want to go.

Start now! The journey can be fun -- but you need a road map to get there.