Are you planning to be successful in 2008?
The holidays are upon us and the New Year is just around the corner. Have you made any plans on how your business will be successful in 2008?
Now is the time to visualize and then put into action plans for your future. If you had a good 2007 do you want to do even better next year?
If you had a fair to poor 2007 what can you do to ensure successful 2008?
Here is a list of items that you should look at to see where you may need to improve upon to help you continue and prosper.
Marketing: I spoke at the Northern DJ conference about the importance of your image and how the images in your brochures, business cards and web site will determine everything from who your clients are to how much you can charge for rates.
A simple change to the pictures, text and over all feel of your marketing materials can lead to a major change in your bottom line.
Skills & Talents: When was the last time you took a class or some DJ training to help improve your skills & talents? Have you tried going to a convention, taking an improv class, taking a seminar offered by DJ industry leaders or joining a speaking group like toastmasters?
Networking: Joining a networking group like a Chamber of Commerce, can help get your name out to potential clients. Joining a DJ Association can really help you learn and grow your business. If you presently belong to a DJ Association, make a pledge to yourself to attend every meeting possible. Some people like networking groups like B.N.I. Do something to help spread the information of your business.
Rates: Every year the cost of living goes up anywhere from 1 to 3 percent. With the last year of volatile gas prices, have you taken into account your costs of living and the increase you will need to maintain and even prosper?
They are talking the highest home heating rates ever for this winter, they are talking highest gasoline prices ever and because of things like this the price of everything you buy, rent or own (home) will continue to rise.
If you continue to charge the next year (2008) same rate as you did this year (2007) you will slowly be eating away at all of your profit you may have earned. There are DJs still charging the same price as they did in 2006. The price of gas in 2006 was more then a dollar a gallon less then it is right now (2007) what kind of difference will it be in 2008?
I know of one national company that is still charging the same price as they did almost ten years ago. They are working on the Quantity over Quality theory of business but because of this they can’t afford to pay their employees even an “average” salary so they don’t stay long with the company.
They can’t afford to purchase new, updated equipment and are using broken down, less then quality pieces to perform. They can’t afford to advertise as they once did due to the breakup of the phone company and now the numerous numbers of phone books, phone page web sites and the internet.
Every year you must look back at what you are doing, find what has worked and what hasn’t and then plan a new way to reach out and find the clients you need to be successful.
“People fail to plan, but they never plan to fail”
Jeff Richards: Party Time Productions