| Just like there are reverse dictionaries, | | | | calendar for these. In fact, I use green |
| there is a reason to create a count down | | | | color paper to print out the calendar. |
| calendar. A count down calendar starts with | | | | |
| Franklin Covey's philosophy, "start with the | | | | |
| end in mind." | | | | |
| | | | If you don't want to create your own, visit |
| | | | your local office supply store, they have |
| | | | countdown calendars available for purchase |
| The biggest advantage to a countdown calendar | | | | (blank planning books). |
| is that it makes you think and focus harder | | | | |
| as well as makes the planning easier. | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | A third way to complete a countdown calendar |
| | | | would be to complete it in a linear form. |
| First, you write down the exact results you | | | | |
| want or expect. Let's say you have a | | | | |
| teleclass, seminar, speaking engagement you | | | | |
| are delivering on X date. This becomes your | | | | Day 21: Speaking event results I desire -- |
| D-day -- sort of speaking. It may be end of | | | | describe those results. |
| the event planning, however, it can also be | | | | |
| the beginning of your follow-up plan. For | | | | |
| simplicity sake, let us stop at the D-day | | | | |
| point. | | | | Day 20: Get handouts printed at Kinko's. |
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| | | | |
| | | | |
| Now you can prepare a count down calendar in | | | | Day 19: Write and send out reminder e-mail |
| several ways. One way would be to use a | | | | to organizer. |
| calendar with the days of the month filled | | | | |
| in. You mark down the D-day and then you | | | | |
| back track from there to today. | | | | |
| | | | To Day 1: Today. |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| Count down the days until __________. Number | | | | |
| of marketing days to go until __________. | | | | Again, if you have a reoccurring countdown, |
| | | | like teleclasses, you can create a linear |
| | | | countdown calendar like the one above. |
| | | | Eventually you will see a consistent pattern |
| Example: Count down days until seminar. 20 | | | | of to-dos. |
| marketing days to go until seminar. | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | At that point, don't stop doing this with the |
| Any doesn't matter which calendar method you | | | | thinking you have it down pat and you don't |
| use, you will need to write down your | | | | need to. This will jump up and bite you in |
| measurements or your mini-results that will | | | | the assets fairly quickly by bogging down |
| deliver the end results you want. I use the | | | | your mind and making you wonder if you are |
| pivoting question, "What is it going to take | | | | missing something. If that occurs, jump back |
| to..." to get my thinking moving in the right | | | | into the habit, it is a great one to have. |
| direction. I like to think through and write | | | | Even if it is frustrating because it takes |
| these on the back of my calendars. This | | | | thinking time. |
| gives me a bird's eye view for that | | | | |
| particular commitment that my software does | | | | |
| not provide. | | | | |
| | | | Once you have your count down calendar |
| | | | completed then you can enter it into your |
| | | | automatic reminder calendar, like Outlook or |
| Another way would be to use a blank form like | | | | Act. This will track all your deadlines, |
| this with the appropriate number of days in | | | | goals, and projects. You will have a |
| between. Then cross out the days that you | | | | separate count down calendar for each |
| will do any marketing -- say Sundays or days | | | | one.Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional |
| filled with other requirements. For my | | | | Marketing & Writing Coach, specializes in |
| teleclass programs, my D-day back to Day 1 is | | | | product development, Internet writing and |
| always 3 weeks, so I have created a regular | | | | marketing, nonfiction, training. |