There Is Hope!
Strategic planning requires organization, structure and attention to details. However there are countless people in companies around the world who are disorganized, unstructured and pay little attention to details. Is this you?
Do you organize your business into categories: things you won't do now; things you won't do later and things you'll never do?
Do you explain that you are just unstructured and not really organizationally challenged?
Do you view chaos as a simple way to pep up a boring week? Then this article is for you.
Strategic Planning For The Rest Of Us
Strategic Planning means, "figuring out how to get more business." That's it. It is an action plan. There are only two rules - #1 it has to get more business and #2 you have to be able to do it profitably.
"Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler" - Einstein
Here is what you need to develop your business strategy. Grab a yellow pad, scribble this down and get started. But wait won't I need lots of data and research? If you are already doing business then you know much of what you need. You don't need tons of data and processes to begin thinking about how to get more business. As you move along you can make a list of additional information you need and then go find them. You'll be surprised how much you already know.
The Three-Point Process
Point A - Where are you now?
- How did you get here?
- Who are the customers/clients who brought you to this point?
- Is it where you want to be?
This should be the easy part. As Buckaroo Banzai said, "No matter where you go, there you are."
Point B - Where do you want to be?
- How will you get there?
- What are the trends in your market?
- What are you and your competition doing about the trends?
- How can you get ahead of where the business is going?
- Who are the customers/clients who will get you there?
This is the part where most organizations freak out. It's like when you were a kid and people kept asking you what you wanted to be when you grew up and you couldn't decide between being a biker and a dentist. This isn't a "forever" answer it's six months from now or next year. Reality is there isn't any long-term planning anymore.
How do you get from Point A to Point B?
- What will it take to make the changes?
- Does it make sense for the company?
- Can you actually pull it off?
- Do you have the right customers or clients?
- What's the payoff in terms of revenue, growth, profitability and sustainability?
Remember it's about strategy - how to change what you have to get what you want. You aren't married to it forever. Think of it as organizational speed dating.
Why Do We Need A New Plan?
Strategy only changes when your customers or market change and you need a new or different outcome. These plans aren't sacred or special. They are just means to an end. There is no reason to get deeply invested in an old plan. Strategic plans are the equivalent of soap bubbles or monarch butterflies. They are products of the moment. Strategy has to constantly change in response to your business.
The Point Everyone Misses
Okay you've planned how to get from Point A to Point B. Now, how do you feel about the strategy? We are talking emotion here. Are you excited, relieved, enthusiastic? Are you worried, uncomfortable and unsettled? A strategic plan without passion is doomed to failure. Do a "feelings check" on the plan. If it doesn't feel right then stop and figure out why before you attempt to implement it or sell it to the organization. That's where the vision comes from. What really should happen is your people should see themselves in the strategic plan.
The Cast Of Characters
Planning isn't confined to the top of the corporate tower. So involve the people who will be responsible for implementing the plan - in designing the plan. Marketing and sales are a must. Production, account management and distribution belong too. Get everyone enlisted and involved. It's easy to confuse the operational plan with strategy. Determine and define the strategy first. Develop the operational plan to support it.
Don't Feel Bad About Not Doing It Before
Most companies don't have a strategic planning process. They start by doing what they know and then simply "follow the business." The average company ends up becoming whatever their customers want to buy. Today large and small companies are bypassing lengthy planning processes and basically making it up as they go along. Not a good idea my friend.
Any Strategic Planning Is Better Than None At All
It can be faster, less complicated and more often. Oh and it never should involve golf.
Plan Your Work And Work Your Plan
It's okay to be unstructured. It's okay to file by pile. It's okay to watch "Animal House" and consider it a training film. But it's also okay to take control of your future and figure out how to get more business. Good strategic plans are dynamic, organic and flexible. They allow you to adapt to changes in your business and the marketplace. You aren't changing who you are - you are changing who you will become.
So what do you want to be when you grow up?
If you liked this article you might also like:
The Gutsiest Business Strategy - Scratching The Value Itch
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Andy Johnston is an multi-faceted communication professional with deep experience from strategic planning, to messaging, to marketing, to media, to events, to training, to creative direction … and there are several other ”to’s.” Andy is known for his energy, creativity and his unique ability to discover the key results that must be generated – and then to develop ingenious ways to engage and motivate audiences. Positive business results are the objective. He believes that one of the most important results is an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Andy is a principal partner at Think! Consulting Group and The Idea Group.
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