As a small business owner, I oftentimes forget to pat myself on the back when I hit major milestones in my business. Things like reaching 1,000 followers on Instagram, launching my first Instagram Reel, or getting my first order were all moments that I remember doing a happy dance for, but how long did it take me to get from one milestone to the next?
I've since started tracking my milestones not only as a method to reflect on my successes throughout the years, but I also use it to gauge how soon I should anticipate reaching the next milestone.
So how have I been tracking it?
Start a Spreadsheet or Document
Yes, it’s that simple. Start a spreadsheet or Word document. Think of what you’ve done for your company thus far. Did you strategize and create a viral infographic that drove thousands of visitors in a short period of time? Did you find a way to create efficiencies to save your brand hundreds or even thousands of dollars? Did you post your first TikTok as a business? Did you finalize a contract for your very first brand collaboration? WRITE. IT. DOWN. Be as specific as possible down to time frame, project name, and exact figures. Even the smallest of successes, add it to your document.
Store It in the Cloud
Upload the document into Google Drive or some other cloud storage device so you can access and update it whenever and wherever you need to!
Regularly Add Your Wins
This is the most important step. Don’t forget about this document! Whenever you have a “winning” moment in your business, make a note of it in your document. You’ll be so happy that you did when you’re looking for the validation in future brand collaborations or just for your own comfort.
Reference Wins in Your Brand Pitches
What’s awesome is that you can use this document to reference your biggest successes on any pitches you make to potential new clients or brand collaborations. Clients love seeing how your projects made a tangible impact on previous campaign efforts – it means that you’re good at what you do!
But that’s it! Easy peasy. One side effect of success tracking is increased confidence, leading to improved work performance and overall happiness. Win-win.
What other tools have you used to track your success?