When it comes to entrepreneurship, SEO or pretty much anything in life, you are forced to face off against a wide variety of “situations”. Unfortunately, we remember negative situations in greater detail over positive situations in large part to discomfort. It is embedded in our DNA to dislike being turned down, embarrassed or downright punished for our actions, especially when we don’t know what we’re doing is wrong – because we learn and someone or something got the “best” of us.
However, what if you could avoid negative situations in your life and business by simply preparing and envisioning where you will be and what you will be doing?
Businesses are microcosms of life and within these defined microcosms must be visions. Why? The answer is simple. Life and business are two in the same. We work in order to live a life that is satisfying.
Furthermore, we live to work, to have a purpose that wakes us up every morning to compete and win against other bakeries, consultants, search engine optimists; the list can go on and on… In order to achieve this success, you need to visualize where you will be in 5 minutes, 5 hours, 5 days, 5 weeks, 5 months and so on… You wouldn’t walk down the steps into your basement without flipping the light switch, would you?
A vision is the light in the basement you flip on so that you don’t trip and fall down those pesky basement steps – keeping you from experiencing a negative situation! Luckily, it doesn’t take mathematical genius or analysis to create a vision. It takes an understanding of your business and what you do well. And, it takes enthusiasm. You need to enjoy and be poised by what you do so much that you are willing to do whatever it takes to keep it going.
SEO can be a large part of your business’ vision. If your business is seasonal, SEO can help prepare you for that most profitable time of the year. If you’re business is dependent upon supply and demand, SEO can prepare you by keeping you ranked on the internet’s top search engines through thick and thin. SEO is an all-important factor of your business that can easily be taken care of so that you don’t have to worry about anything else besides serving your customers, selling your products or assisting your clients.
So, next time you think about where your business is headed, make sure you are prepared for whatever life may throw your way.
A list of steps for drafting your vision (courtesy of an article in Inc. by Ari Weinzweig):
1) Pick your topic (Envisioning specific parts of your business’ future or your business as a whole)
2) Pick you time frame (5 minutes, 5 hours, 5 days, 5 weeks, 5 months…)
3) Put together a list of “prouds” (What does you business do so well that it separates you from your competitors)
4) Write a first draft (Brainstorm and get your ideas out there on paper and remember to write “Draft” on the first page – don’t be afraid to think big!)
5) Review and redraft (Reread your first draft entirely then edit it, but make sure you always keep an original copy of the first draft for comparison’s sake)
6) Redraft some more!
7) Solicit input (what do other’s think)
8) Share your vision!
The Clix Group is a St Louis SEO Company, and one of the best in town.
