[MUSIC PLAYING] One of the most valuable lessons I've ever learned is to focus on what you can control. What you can control you have to let go. I learned this from Harley, who told me this while giving me advice on the set of I Quit. In this module, I'm going to teach you how to take control of your business by focusing on the aspects you can control. In this lesson, we're going to talk about sales goals. The next lesson, we'll talk about pivoting, and finally, finding accountability partners who support your dreams and your business.
So let's start with sales goals. I love creating sales goals. I love using spreadsheets that help me track my goals and my progress. So how do I create my sales goals? When I go back to year one, when I first had products to sell, I had no idea what it meant to set a sales goal. I really just said myself, here's a number that I would love to reach. If I hit that number, I'll be ecstatic. And that's the number I set for year one.
And then we hit it. And I was like, oh, this is cool. I hit a goal. I was limited by my marketing budget and product stock. So keep that in consideration when setting your initial goals. After that, my strategy focused on scaling up to see what percentage growth I could make happen. Part of that was at the end of every year, I'd redo my business plan heading into the next year. So that way, it helps me look at what I did that year, what was working, and then what can I do differently or improve on for the next year?
And that helps me set my next year's sales goal. If I do this better than I did last year, if I add this or that, can increase my sales by 25%? Can increase my sales by 30%? In the Download section, you'll find a business plan template that you can use. So here are my tips to help you set and surpass your sales goals. Number one, set a goal that excites you. Allow yourself to dream a little bit.
Choose a number that's a bit higher than what you thought possible. Number two, make a plan. Use a biz plan template and the marketing and branding tips you've learned earlier to put that plan to work. Be consistent as you work. Number three, if you reach your goal, dream bigger. I think sometimes people set goals. And when they hit their goal, they're just like, I hit my goal.
I'm good. And then they slow down. You want to hit your goal, but you also want to exceed your goal. So once you start hitting it or getting close to it, how do I keep growing? When I hit my goal, I said, OK, I hit my goal. How much higher can I go? If you know you're close, push it a bit higher to challenge yourself. I'm always striving for something and not just hitting a goal and then settling in. Of course, with any goal you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks and pivots that challenge you.
Join me in the next lesson to learn how to pivot when times get tough.