Holy cow! 2011 is right around the corner. This is the time when entrepreneur’s thoughts (aside from those focused on preparing for the holidays, of course) turn towards growing or changing their businesses in the New Year.

Smart. Because unless you want to be exactly where you are now, doing exactly what you’re doing today, you need to do something different. Otherwise, you’re guilty of insanity. And, to paraphrase the great ski film maker, Warren Miller, “…you’ll be one year older when you do.”

So today I thought I’d share a few powerful thoughts, ideas and resources to get your planning on the right track…

1) Set a few, specific goals.

Once you know where you want to be, reverse engineer a plan to get there. For example: decide you want to earn $x per month by a certain date. Then figure out how many clients or sales you need per week or per month to reach that goal.

2) Make a plan of action for achieving those goals.

To go back to my previous example, knowing how many sales you need to reach your goal is just the first step. You still have to make it happen. So next figure out what steps you need to take to get a client or make a sale. Then get to work.

3) Go big or go home.

While taking any action is good, if you really want things to start hopping in your business you need to take massive action. So this year make a New Years Resolution to dive in with both feet and get cracking.

This year I attended five conferences! And I was a sponsor at two!! My visibility has gone way up. And it’s amazing to see the opportunities that have come my way as a result. Especially compared to what would have happened if I’d just gone to one or two like usual.

4) Schedule time to work ON your business.

Treat your own business like it’s your best client and give it the time and attention it deserves. If you don’t do, you’ll always be too busy working IN it putting out fires and taking care of clients. And you’ll always be chained to it.

Every Monday and Friday time is blocked out on my schedule for focusing on my business. I write marketing copy, handle project management, do planning, and more.

5) Do one thing a day to market your business.

Call past clients, respond to posts on online forums, comment on blogs, write a blog post, submit articles online, do email follow ups, create an ad…Whatever. Just do it every day—ideally first thing in the morning so you don’t put it off.

I first heard this tip from Dan Kennedy years ago, and it does wonders for growing your business. Because most entrepreneurs don’t even do one marketing task a week. So if you do something daily you’ll be way ahead of your competition.

6) Put new information in to get fresh ideas out.

It’s hard to come up with fresh ideas and solutions to problems if you’re always sitting alone in your home office working. Instead commit to getting out, and getting a new perspective.

How? Commit to reading at least 4 new business books next year…Subscribe to a new magazine even if it’s not related to your business…Take a workshop or two locally…Read other successful entrepreneur’s ezines and blogs…And go to at least one big seminar or conference on business-building, marketing or Internet Marketing.

7) Admit that you aren’t superhuman—and be okay with it.

The way business and marketing have gone, you simply can’t do it all yourself. And you shouldn’t try. You’re only going to end up exhausted, overworked and frustrated.

Most people who are able to get tons done aren’t doing it alone (myself included). They have coaches, mentors, Mastermind groups or partners to help them problem solve and launch new ideas.

More importantly, they outsource to experts and teams of Virtual Assistants to get everything done—especially their online marketing. It’s the only way to go. (learn more about finding, hiring and working with Virtual Assistants at http://www.getstartedoutsourcing.com )

Follow these seven tips to make 2011 your best, happiest and most profitable year yet!

What are you doing differently this coming year? Got any thoughts on these suggestions? Please do share by leaving a comment below…

Originally published on TheUnchainedEntrepreneur.com