A Business Vision takes work. Dreams come easily. 
We all love to have dreams and share them without concern, but without a strategy and vision – they are just dreams. Recently I have written about business rules, culture, implementation, and even gratitude. But nothing can move a business forward like a clear business vision!
As my mentor says – Work toward the vision.
What if you had to plan out your activities for the next month and could choose to work on:
– whatever comes up or
– whatever gets you closer to the business vision?
Which one do you think will grow your business faster? Easy right? But it's surprising how many people spend their days working on whatever comes up that day. Most people don't focus on what will take them closer to their vision.
I was guilty of this as much as anyone – until I reached a plateau in my business. That plateau caused me to question what I was doing and why? I couldn't grow the business until I became very clear about the vision for myself personally; and for the business.
The Ultimate Cheat Sheet on Vision
1) Define what it is that the business does. What results can your clients expect?
2) List the top 5 reasons you are in business. (Don’t forget the money.)
3) What unique experiences do you bring to help your clients achieve results?
4) What really makes you angry, upset or frustrated with a situation? Look specifically in your niche, or industry. “There is no point in starting your own business unless you do it out of a sense of frustration.” Sir Richard Branson
5) What problems are there to solve in your industry?
6) What opportunities are being missed by others in that industry? This will always bring more money than solving problems – so look for opportunities.
7) Who are your customers? How do you serve them? These will define the structure and type of business that you want.
8) Eliminate all “good” options. “The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” Michael Porter
9) What is your big WHY? Defining your purpose is the key to great leadership.
10) What does success mean to you? To your clients?
– How can you get a clear picture of success? Draw it out, create a vision board, or paste-up all the testimonials you have received. Whatever works for you to visualize what success looks like?
– Quantify it. How much money exactly does it take to live the life you want to? Be specific. Without real numbers that have meaning to you, the visions will also lack meaning.
11) How will you measure your success?
Now draft your business vision by finishing these sentences:
We are a …….
With the ability to …….
And the results we provide are …….
Our commitment to our clients is …….
That is the basis of your business vision statement. Post it on your wall and rework it until you feel it resonate with you and your team.
Do you have a vision statement for your company? Share it with us on Facebook or Twitter and show us some great examples.
Image source KROMKRATHOG of http:/www.freedigitalphotos.net/