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Hey, mamas who are manifesting empires! 🌸 Balancing a business and babies? I feel you. There’s always something that needs our attention—whether it's the kids, the business, or just keeping everything organized. One thing that’s been a game-changer for me is using a small business planner, and the best part? You can find a free printable, weekly and daily planner, that works best for you! Today, I’m going to share how to use a free printable small business planner to keep your business (and life) on track.
"A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action makes your dreams come true".
-Greg Reid
Why a Small Business Planner is a Mompreneur’s Best Friend
First off, let’s talk about why you need a small business planner. When you’re running a business and a household, it’s easy for things to fall through the cracks. A planner helps you keep everything organized in one place—your to-do lists, schedules, marketing strategy, big goals and more. It’s like having a personal assistant, but on paper (or a digital version, if that’s your thing). Plus, there's something incredibly satisfying about crossing off tasks from a list! Oh yes, that's my favorite!
A free business planner can give your small business a competitive advantage. By helping you put to paper that level of detail for your goals and the bigger picture, you can set a certain amount of time to reach each milestone along the way. Whether you use it for just business or combined with personal use, the planner is one of the best ways to stay organized and map out the future.
Finding the Right Free Printable Small Business Planner
The internet is full of free printables, but finding the right one can be overwhelming. Here are a few tips on what to look for:
1. Customization:
Look for planners that allow you to fill in your own dates and sections. This way, you can tailor it to fit your specific needs. You may even find that your business objectives or target audience changes over time. You want a planner that is flexible enough to adjust with your business model to be an effective time management system.
2. Sections that Matter:
Make sure the planner includes sections for daily tasks, weekly goals, and long-term planning. Some even come with sections for a social media marketing plan, which is super handy.
3. Design:
This might sound superficial, but if you love the design of your planner, you’ll be more inclined to use it regularly. Go for something pretty or that inspires you—whether it’s minimalist, colorful, or has motivational quotes. The main difference between just having a solid plan and actually achieving your goals is motivation! The ONLY planner that will work, is the one you will use.
Once you’ve found a printable that you love, it’s time to put it to work!
Getting Started: Print and Organize
Before you start filling in your planner, print out the pages you need. I recommend using a high-quality printer and paper so that your planner looks crisp and professional. You can even get it bound at a local print shop if you want something that feels more like a real book format planner. Alternatively, you can use a binder or a folder to keep everything together.
Now, let’s break down how to use each section of your small business planner effectively.
Daily To-Do Lists: Your New BFF
The daily to-do list is the heart of your planner. Every morning (or the night before), sit down and jot down everything you need to accomplish in your daily business. Break your tasks into categories like:
- Business Tasks:
Client work, product development, marketing, etc.
- Household Tasks:
Grocery shopping, laundry, meal planning, etc.
- Self-Care:
Don’t forget to add some “me time” in there! Whether it’s a workout, a quick walk, or just 10 minutes to enjoy a cup of coffee.
Pro Tip:
Be realistic about what you can achieve in a day. It’s better to under-schedule and get everything done than to overwhelm yourself with a list that’s a mile long.
Weekly Goals: Keeping Your Eye on the Prize
Weekly goals are essential for keeping your business moving forward. At the beginning of each week, set 3-5 goals that you want to achieve. These could be related to your long-term goals, sales, marketing, product development, or personal growth.
For example:
- Increase Instagram followers by 10%.
- Launch a new product on Etsy.
- Write and schedule three blog posts (that sounds very ambitious).
Pro Tip:
Break these goals down into smaller tasks and spread them throughout your week. This way, you’re making steady progress without feeling overwhelmed.
Short-Term Planning
Every solid business plan should include some bigger picture planning in the short-term. These can be monthly or quarterly goals. Whether it's a one-page plan to brainstorm new revenue streams or a step-by-step approach to setting up your management team, every successful business needs to outline their short-term goals.
Small business owners can use this section as their vision planner to map out market research, redefine a target market, or come up with a new business idea. If you're anything like me, your side hustle is always evolving into a new main hustle. The planner can really help small businesses by making you focus all your ideas in one place and set meaningful deadlines to achieve your big dreams.
Pro Tip:
Review your BIG long-term goals every month to make sure your short-term planning aligns with your larger goals.
Long-Term Planning: Mapping Out Your Business Journey
One of the essential elements to your small business planner is your BIG GOALS (BHAG), a section for long-term planning. This is where you map out your dream business goals for the next year (or even five years). Break these goals down into quarterly or monthly milestones, so you always know what you’re working towards.
For example:
- Year 1 Goal: Launch an online store.
- Quarter 1: Research and choose an eCommerce platform.
- Quarter 2: Design and build the website.
- Quarter 3: Create and upload products.
- Quarter 4: Launch and promote the store.
Pro Tip:
Don't skip this section! Long-term planning helps you stay focused on the big picture, even when the day-to-day tasks feel overwhelming.
Social Media Planning: Growing Your Online Presence
If social media is part of your business strategy (and it should be!), use the social media planning section to schedule your posts, track engagement, and brainstorm content ideas. You can even use it to plan out collaborations or ad campaigns.
Pro Tip:
Batch your content creation. Set aside a day each week to create and schedule all your social media posts. This will save you time and ensure that your online presence is consistent.
Keeping It All Together: Review and Adjust
One of the best things about using a small business planner is that it gives you a clear picture of where your business stands. But remember, it’s not set in stone. Regularly review your planner and adjust your plans as needed. If something isn’t working, tweak it. If you’re hitting your goals easily, challenge yourself with new ones.
Printable Planners I Love
If you’re wondering where to find a good free printable small business planner, here are a few resources:
1. Canva:
Canva is a great place for a variety of customizable planner templates. You can edit a free template to suit your needs and print them out.
2. Pinterest:
Just type in “free printable small business planner” in the search bar, and you’ll find tons of options.
3. Etsy:
Some sellers offer nearly free printables as a promotion. It’s worth checking out!
In conclusion, using a small business planner is like having a roadmap for your business. It keeps you organized, helps you stay on track with your goals, and makes juggling business and mom life a bit easier. Plus, with so many beautiful and functional free printables available, there’s no reason not to start using one today!
So, grab that planner, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and get ready to conquer your to-do list like the boss mom you are! 💪
Written in collaboration with artificial intelligence (ChatGPT-3.5). Edited by a human.
Are you Overwhelmed?
Do you feel like you are constantly spinning your wheels and just need an outsider view to take a look at your business marketing strategy? I'm always happy to set up a One-on-One Strategy Session to come up with a comprehensive plan for your marketing based on your current status.
What's your favorite planner and how do you use it? Share in the comments below!
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I love planners because it keeps me focused. I love experimenting with different ones to get tasks done
www.justalittleautismorsomething.com
I love planners. I have both physical printed planners where I've purchased templates from Etsy for my personal sized planner. I recently tried digital planners using Goodnotes on my iPad. I like both and they keep me super organized.
Christy
https://www.christywanders.com