Goal Setting - Pros and Cons

Goal Setting is one of those things that I have dreaded doing for many years.  I really do not like it and struggled with every exercise I've ever tried.  I finally read some coaching advice that backed up and explained how I feel about goal-setting.

In The DNA of Success by Jack M . Zufelt - a book he kindly shared with me this week, I finally discovered why writing down goals did not work for me.  For one thing, if those goals didn't happen in the time frame that I expected them to, it was a failure on my part.  It was depressing to read through a list of goals that I set six months earlier and realize that I had not yet started on even one of those goals.  After awhile, I gave up.

For me goal setting is really about making a decision about something that I want to create in the future.  That decision can be that I want to make $5000 per month or that I want to be driving a new sportscar someday.  I don't necessarily decide when...just decide.  Then I roll up my sleeves and work at what I am passionate about.  I don't write down or re-read those decisions or even think much about them at all.  Before long however, I will create those things that I decided I would have.  We have the power to create our future as we decide that it should be.  Yes - it requires some work...and yes it requires staying the course.  But dreams do come true everyday for people like you and me.  It all starts with the decision.

The beauty of this whole formula for me however is that I can change my mind.  I don't know about you - but I don't want the same things today that I thought I wanted twenty years ago.  The most exciting part about making decisions is that you can change them at any time.  Today, I don't want to drive a sportscar let's say - maybe today I want to drive a jeep.  I can decide today that I will have a jeep in the future.  I don't have to do anything about my earlier decision except to forget it and make a new decision.  I simply change my mind.

Wow...that's so exciting for me!  No more feeling guilty about the lack of written goals.  It just doesn't really work for me.  Everyone is different, but if you like me, struggle with goal setting as a business owner - try something else.  Make the decision about what you want...then forget about it.  Work in your business - and love it!  Your dreams will come true.

Want to know more?  Read The DNA of Success by Jack M . Zufel and be inspired!  Find him on LinkedIn and tell him that I sent you!

Sponsorships for Non-Profits

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As I’ve been out in the community recently I have realized that there are a lot of misunderstandings about sponsorships and their purposes especially amongst the non-profits in the community.  Hopefully I can give you some insight into sponsorships so that you can increase your success in this area.

Sponsorships serve two purposes and fall into two basic categories when it comes to Non-Profit Organizations.

There are sponsorships that come from your donors – or better said evolve out of relationships that you make with your donors.  These are people who love your cause and want to support you any way that they can.  They will buy an ad in your season program, or purchase a table for your gala and bring some friends.  They are “donating” to you and sometimes attaching their business name to it because they love you and your cause.  It’s what I call a “feel good” sponsorship.  These are great sponsors and relatively easy to attain if you have done a good job with relationship building.

The other type of sponsorship is a marketing sponsorship.  This comes from a different budget than the foundation/donation side of a business.  These sponsorships are really designed to grow the brand or the client base of the potential sponsor.  The money should come out of advertising or marketing rather than community donations.  The sponsorship should be created to help achieve their marketing goals whatever they are.  Return on Investment plays a huge role in how long term the sponsorship will thrive.  Since it’s basically advertising expense, the amount is fully tax deductible as a business expense (as opposed to the first type which is generally a donation).

Marketing sponsorships take time and relationship building as well.  It’s vital to understand the goals of the sponsor and to do your best to fulfill their goals with a sponsorship for your organization.  The key to success is start early, find businesses that are a good match for your organization that would benefit from the relationship, and do what you promise you will do for them.

Good luck with your sponsorships for 2014.  Please share your tips for successful sponsorship acquisition too!  We are all always looking for more ways to engage the community.

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