The Bob Ross Method of Quarterly Planning
When it comes to creating a quarterly plan for entrepreneurs, especially those who are newer or haven’t yet hit the seven-figure mark, I often recommend what I call the “Bob Ross method.” This approach involves setting a single, clear goal for the quarter—be it revenue or profit—with specific conditions to ensure both growth and sustainability.
How to Implement the Bob Ross Method:
- Set a Singular Goal: Decide on your main objective for the quarter, whether it’s increasing revenue, boosting profit margins, or another key business metric.
- Outline Three Main Strategies: Identify three overarching strategies that will help you reach your goal. These could involve generating more leads, enhancing sales tactics, or increasing market engagement through content creation and workshops.
- Develop Five Tactics per Strategy: Break each strategy down into five actionable tactics, creating a total of fifteen tasks that align with your main goal.
- Execution and Delegation: Assign these tasks to your team members or tackle them yourself if you’re operating solo. The focus should be on leveraging the most impactful tasks first.
The beauty of the Bob Ross method lies in its simplicity and clarity, which provides a structured path forward. However, be prepared for outcomes that might not perfectly match your plan—like a Bob Ross painting, the end result is about progress, not perfection.
The Michelangelo Method for Advanced Quarterly Planning
For more experienced business owners who understand the nuances of their operations, the “Michelangelo method” offers a refined approach to quarterly planning. This strategy starts similarly with a singular goal but requires a deeper, more flexible engagement with the planning process.
How to Execute the Michelangelo Method:
- Set a Precise, Ambitious Goal: Your goal should be clear and challenging, tailored to push the boundaries of what your business can achieve.
- Adopt a Sculptor’s Mindset: Like Michelangelo who said he could see the angel in the marble and carved until he set it free, you need to chip away at the superfluous until only your goal remains.
- Pivot and Adapt: This method allows for rapid pivoting and adapting to different strategies based on real-time feedback and results. It’s about focusing intensely on that one major goal from multiple angles.
- Daily, Weekly, Monthly Check-Ins: Constantly align your daily actions with weekly targets, which should fit into your monthly objectives, all serving the quarterly goal.
This approach is more fluid and assumes a higher level of business acumen and experience. It’s less about following a rigid plan and more about continuously aligning every action towards a central, ambitious goal.
Choosing Your Strategy
Whether you prefer the structured approach of the Bob Ross method or the dynamic and flexible Michelangelo method depends on your business’s maturity and your comfort with uncertainty and adaptation. Both strategies require commitment, focus, and a willingness to adapt as you learn from the process.
By understanding and applying these methods in your quarterly planning, you can enhance your ability to not just meet but exceed your business objectives, driving growth and profitability in a structured yet adaptable manner.
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Time-Stamped Show Notes
- [00:00:30] Introduction and overview of quarterly planning strategies
- [00:01:30] Explanation of the Bob Ross method
- [00:02:30] Detailed steps for implementing the Bob Ross method
- [00:03:00] Introduction to the Michelangelo method for advanced planners
- [00:04:00] Steps to execute the Michelangelo method
- [00:05:00] Key differences between the Bob Ross and Michelangelo methods
- [00:06:00] How to choose the right strategy based on your business stage
- [00:07:00] Conclusion and encouragement to apply these strategies