When I work one-on-one with clients, we custom create what I call a “focus filter” to run ideas through.
A focus filter is a really simple process to help you decide what gets the green light in your business.
“Does this get moved forward, or not?”
I’m going to recommend a generic focus filter for you today to give you an idea. It’s a very simple concept, but it can be really powerful for you to take each of the ideas and run them through a series of questions or a filter.
Question 1: Is this idea a fit with my mission and my message?
Basically, you want to do a yes/no assessment. “Does this idea align with what I’m about and what stand I’m taking through my message?”
Question 2: Will this idea get my clients to an outcome that they value and will pay for?
Will they value it? Is it something they are currently seeking a solution to? Are you aware that people are out there seeking a solution to this or a way to achieve something they’re passionate about? Are these people who will actually pay for that solution?
Question 3: Does it capture your “secret sauce”? Does it capture your uniqueness in some way? The essence of this test is if it’s going to showcase your brilliance and allow you to stand out.
Question 4: How well does this idea, if I do it now, align with my mission-critical priorities?”
This one can be a deal breaker if the idea is something that’s going to take a lot of time, money and resources to get off the ground.
Let’s say one of your mission-critical priorities at the moment is cash flow. You have a cash flow crunch. You wouldn’t want to start working on a signature program that was going to drain down your resources and take six to 12 months to get off the ground and get profitable if cash flow was a mission-critical priority in your business right now.
You might want to choose a different idea for right now that met that priority. Save the bigger signature idea for a time when you actually have the time and resources to make it successful.
Today’s Invitation to Implement: Create your own personalized fun filter! Make it fun, make it focused.
