How to Create a Yearly Overview for 2024

Having a plan for the year ahead will help you to focus your efforts and support you to make good decisions in your business. But tackling everything you want to achieve in the next year will be overwhelming without an overview of how it fits in.

This is where creating a simple overview plan for your year is priceless – it will help you to recognise what you need to do and when, where you have available space, and where you need to re-think your goals.

If you want to look back this time next year and be really proud of all you’ve achieved, plan it now.

Start With Your Vision

Your vision acts as a compass for what you want to achieve in the future. It will give you a sense of clarity for your life and business and help you achieve balance and order. Without a vision, you’re in danger of drifting along and could find yourself in the same place this time next year wishing things were different.

If you haven’t got a vision, this blog will help you figure yours out.

What are Your Goals for the Next 12 months?

Based on your vision, decide what you need to achieve during the next year to accomplish it. Write them down as goals so you know what you are working towards. The clearer you make these the better and attaching them to something that you can measure will help you to know how well you are doing.

For example – instead of saying I want to find more clients, be specific – I want to be working with 10 clients per week by the end of June.

Your Yearly Overview

Your yearly goals are too big and scary to try and work on in one go. This is where creating a simple overview plan comes into play - you plot out the year ahead, breaking down your goals into smaller achievable steps across the year.

You also, include details of anything that affects you and your business so you can see how they fit in with your goals. For example:

• Personal holidays and events - you must accommodate these in your plans, especially if you work alone.
• Events you’re planning to deliver yourself, for example, workshops or retreats.
• Events you’re attending for your business.
• Key dates which are relevant to your favourite clients, annual holidays, and celebrations – these can provide great ideas for your marketing.

Having an overview of your year will help you maximise any opportunities to build your business and make sure you’re organised for them.

It doesn’t have to be anything complicated, go old school with a piece of paper and divide it into 12 boxes. Alternatively, use a yearly planner – there are some great free ones available if you google ‘free printable year planner 2024’ or use a spreadsheet – whatever works for you. You just want a way of plotting out your year to capture an overview of what you’re working towards.

You’ll end up with something like this:

2024 Goals

• Increase the number of 1:1 client appointments to 10 per week by the end of June.
• Run 2 x in-person 1-day workshops, each for 10 (April and October).
• Create a gift range of 6 skin care products for Christmas and launch them by the end of September.
• Run monthly talks to community groups to promote services and products.
• Launch a podcast and release season 1 (10 episodes) by the end of February.

January

• On holiday until 8^th
• 5 clients per week.
• Plan the podcast and do any research/training required.
• Talk to the local WI.

February

• 6 clients per week.
• Record and edit the series of 10 podcasts and write the show notes.
• Schedule them to publish one per week starting on 29 February.
• Promote the podcast to email list and on social media.
• Talk to

March

• On holiday w/c 25 March
• Spring Equinox – 20 March
• 7 clients per week.
• Promote the podcast to email list and on social media.
• Plan the workshop and start promoting it.

You get the picture!

This exercise will help you see if your goals are realistic and if there are any points when you’ll need to find extra help, or you need to re-think your plans.

Your plans are flexible; they provide you with direction, so you know where to focus your attention and marketing efforts. You can then plan out your weeks and months knowing what you have coming up so you can start to work on things in advance to help you prepare and flow through the year rather than trying to do everything last minute.

Join me for my Planning to Thrive Live Online Workshop

10am - 2pm GMT on Sunday 14 January 2024

Come along and show your small business some love to get the year started right.

Think of this as a mini-retreat for you and your business. I will help you create your simple plan ready for 2024, so you know what to do and where to direct your marketing efforts. Imagine being able to enjoy the holidays knowing exactly what you need to do to succeed in the New Year. Get the full information here.