Goals, Google & A Solopreneur

This weekend has been remarkably productive.

I've started creating my next TWO products and I haven't even launched my first one yet.
They are related so it doesn't matter.

I have gotten closer to deciding which webhost to go with. Never mind the domain name. I'll pick one when I'm good and ready as a "good" domain name isn't something I am too bothered about.

Goalsetting - did you know that you can have many levels of goals? I had knowledge about it, but until recently have not had the belief or attitude required to apply it.

Now that I am over two months into this progress reporting, I am beginning to feel the need to set goals over varying periods of time.

For instance, I want to have my website launched on the 1st of June. That's one goal.
In the mean time I have tasks that has to be carried out to achieve that goal. So in order to progress on that End of month goal, I am beginning to feel the need for daily targets.

I also have an idea about where I want my webbusiness to be my the 1st of January next year. So that is another goal. For that one, I might need a subset of monthly targets, which are again broken down to weekly and daily tasks.

All this I know. My excuse? at the moment it's " Oh, I haven't got the software!" I know of a software that does what I want to do, but I ain't willing to pay for it.

It's a waste of money. Simply because I do not believe it will yield a return on the investment. Besides I have spreadsheets I can set it up in.

I also use spreadsheets for my google tracking, which is very useful, if not a little time consuming. But it does give me a very clear picture of how campaigns are performing.

google is doing about one third of my peak sales rate at the moment. This month is a "sober" month usually in retail anyway - why do you think you see all the sales? Have you ever seen Argos running a half price sale in October or November or early December? You might see one after the 7th of December if the early Christmas sales are slower than expected.

I digress.

If the weather is bad during the bank holiday and the half term, there will be an upswing over that time, before it tails off over the summer until about the last third of August and the end of the school holidays.

These are great months to take stock and ramp up for the forthcoming seasonal spending spree. Sales wise, unless it is for seasonal items ( Barbeque, garden, summer & sunshine related ) you'd invariably see a dip - especially online if the weather is good.

I might be a part time solopreneur but I am not alone.

Don't know why I said that. I ramble on. Had a great weekend in other words. And not only because I got lots done - but because I spent most of Saturday with my wife and son and the WHOLE day Sunday out and about in the Hampshire country side.

Made me remember why I do these things.

It also reminded me that I need to cut down on the mysteryshopping that I am doing as it invariably eats into our weekends, and usually it is poor pay for hard work anyway.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=