Does your business operate at a higher level than last year? If not, it should. You have heard the overused phrase “spend some time working ON your business rather than IN your business”? I think the reason many phrases are overused is that they are true. I have been in your shoes, and I know it is hard to carve time away from the day to day to pressure to sell and get jobs installed. But, if you never make time for planning improvement, you won’t improve.

Here are some ideas:

 

1. Get with another dealer to share information, best practices and results. Make it less lonely out there. It doesn’t even have to be in a different city. For example, I know three dealers in Columbia, SC that have drastically improved their businesses by sharing information and working together. They share vendor information, operational details and even job leads. They frequently work on jobs together as they all have their own specialties. Need some help meeting other like-minded dealers? Visit our booth at CEDIA and get your account rep to introduce you to some folks that they think might be a fit.
2. Get a board of advisors. Many installers have great business people as customers who have become friends. Invite them to serve on an advisory board that meets every quarter for a two-hour lunch. Some of the semi-retired types are anxious to give their advice. Keep it professional — have financial statements and other information sent out before the board meeting. Have an agenda and be sincere in your desire for feedback.
3. Set goals — and not just around sales or profit. How about doing such a good job that you get a referral from two out of three jobs? Or, find one way to save time every week no matter how small. Do it with your whole team. Put some carrots out there. We used to take an afternoon off as a company and race go-carts if certain goals were hit. Have fun with it.
4. Block some time on your calendar. I always block some time (set up a recurring event on Outlook) on Fridays to review my calendar and just think about things. If you need to tweak your quoting system, or look into a new category, drop these projects into your blocked time. My experience is that if you don’t protect these time slots you will almost always bump them. Working “on” your business is worth the time.

Jay Faison is the CEO of SnapAV.

Reprinted with permission. Originally appeared here.