“Who can I be calling?” I’m hearing that a lot these days as entrepreneurs get ready to flip the calendar to September. One of the reasons this question comes up is because many of you have not kept the funnel full over these past few months (of summer).

Lack of planning leads to non-action. Many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of sitting back and taking a very relaxed approach during the summer months and then it comes back to bite them right about this time of year.

Business is business, people – and it doesn’t take a holiday. Hobby owners take the summer off with no specific plans, automation or delegation in place. And that hurts! It hurts prospects, clients, team members, vendors, your reputation, you and your family – and your bank account.

Some of the consequences of that include:

• Falling back into the ‘I can’t afford it’ mindset (because you probably really can’t afford to do, go, create something).
• Fear of failure – which can lead to bankruptcy, depression, overwhelm.
• Lack of credibility – when you have a problem/solution that people in the market are looking for, but you can’t be found (on line or in person), it’s easy for people to find someone else to fill the need.
• A big backward slide – especially when you’ve been working on growing your business over the past year.
• Challenges on the home front when it comes to discussion about money!

Here are some steps to get you back in the game, quickly:

1. GET OUT THE DOOR.

There are many opportunities, typically within a 10-mile radius of where you are. Get on google and find all the networking events that are happening and get going! Business is built on relationships so it’s important to get your face out there. (You can always join me here: http://www.wealthmakerstoronto.com to get a plan together before year end!)

2. GET ON LINE.

The fun part of this is that you can outsource and delegate this piece if it’s not your strength – then you can focus on getting yourself out and known in person. People are always searching on line for what they need – particularly those in deep pain who are tossing and turning at 2 a.m. – when THEY do a google search, are you easily found? If not, it’s time to fix that.

3. MAKE A PLAN.

You’ve got 4 months until year end – a major reason for entrepreneurial failure is the lack of a plan. Don’t be that person. Get help. Ask for help. Hire a coach. Get a plan in place – you still have time to reach your goals for 2015.

“First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination.” – Napoleon Hill

Any of you who know me at all by now know that I believe in having a plan. Yes, I did take a lot of time off this summer myself – however, I do have all the systems, processes and people in place to ensure that business carried on as usual. That’s the key to success.

Problems don’t go away. People are always looking for solutions to problems or ways to improve their health, wealth, time and relationships.  Make sure YOU are the one they find when they ARE up at 2 a.m. and on line …….

What is one thing you can do today to achieve your goals and grow your business?

Please share your thoughts!