There’s no shortage of great ideas, but just how many of them see the light of day? As the owner or manager of a spa or massage practice, you may have lamented that fact on more than one occasion. Maybe you thought about expanding your services to appeal more to families. Possibly someone on your team suggested forging a partnership with a local health club and promoting the union with events held around the city. Or maybe you thought of putting on a series of educational seminars for seniors about the benefits of massage. Any one of these ideas might bring new clients through the door, but you don’t have the time or money to make it happen or are afraid things won’t work out.
I can tell you from my own experience that executing new ideas is always a challenge. And you can easily put something on the back burner because of the day-to-day demands of running your business. But sometimes, you know the great idea you or someone else came up with is exactly what’s needed to take your business in a new direction. When that happens, you’ve got to put a stake in the ground, look ahead and put a plan into motion to bring that idea to light—some other things to consider to get your idea off the ground.
Get advice
If you’re unsure where to begin executing your idea, bring in an advisor or several. They may be business associates you’ve met at professional organizations or someone you connected with online through a social channel such as LinkedIn. Some people may offer advice for free; others, you may need to pay. Even when others provide input, follow your own gut feeling if you don’t agree with everything they recommend.
Establish priorities
When executing your idea, establish priorities, so you don’t get bogged down trying to do everything at once, which will keep you from reaching your ultimate goal. Identify key activities and supporting tactics.
Be Patient
Don’t feel pressured to make things happen overnight. By being anxious to get things moving, you may make mistakes. Look at implementing new ideas as a learning experience to learn new things along the way that may come in handy later. The next time you have a big idea you want to put into motion, it may be easier because you’ve learned how to get your team mobilized, what resources you need (financial, additional training, outside professionals, etc.), and how much time it will take.
When you get a great idea, write it down. Spend some time thinking it over and if you are still convinced it’s a winner, then run with it.