Ten steps to a great strategic plan

Ask a small business of their strategic plan and make you laugh or have affected the look in their eyes. Yet it is well documented that companies with a strategic plan are more successful. No matter what size business, from the medical staff to hundreds of employees, a thoughtful strategic plan will help you realize your dreams.

Many entrepreneurs do not go down the road of strategic planning because they are a bit 'intimidated by the idea. Somehow, not familiar with the terminology and simply do not know where to start.

We can remedy this. A couple of preliminary principles to understand: a strategic plan is not a time to make the list - it's The Big Picture, your approach to the market, and metrics that will be used to measure their progress. Strategic planning is a little 'an oxymoron. Strategizing is a creative process, planning is a fairly straightforward process. So, be creative, then organize a plan. To keep the creativity in the strategic planning process, remember that it is not etched in stone. You can create and change, modify and manage as needed.

Here are ten steps for creating an effective strategic plan:

1) Start by listing five or six values ​​that you want your company to operate. Be honest and be real. If the intensity is part of your culture, so to speak. If fun is part of your culture, so to speak. There are no right and wrong values.

2) Write your company's brand promise. This is the only unbreakable promise you make to your customers. For example, our brand promise for EWF International is "Real-life, real-time help businesses in a private community of peers."

3) Articulate your vision. Get clear on what you want your company to look like long term. Even if you're thinking of a certain point in the future, in terms of current theory describing what your company looks like in five to ten years.

4) Set big goals. The targets were not desired, a description of actions or activities, but the final image. For example, "to achieve 95% customer satisfaction" as opposed to "improve our customer service process." Your goals should be ambitious and achievable, not bravado. Choose three to five major objectives to be realized over the next five years.

5) Now it's time for the numbers. Choose three to five key parameters that drive your business. Of course, all tracks revenue and cost, but the key numbers, percentages and ratios, specific industry and your business, you need not accurately keep track weekly and monthly? Do not complicate this, simply ask yourself: "What the numbers to go up or down for this task to be successful?" For example, if you're in retail, you can keep track of profit per square foot. A professional services firm can track billable hours. You could keep track of customer loyalty or profit per customer. There is a collection of numbers relevant to all businesses, but you know better how your company works and what needs to be measured. Then choose a critical number that must be watched carefully and immediately. Often it is a measure of an activity, an aspect of the business or work for someone. For example, how many sales calls you need to do every week to get new customers? How many new strategic alliances need to expand your market?

6) Then it's time to think about what actions must be taken within the next 90 days to move you towards your goals. For example, technological improvements, connections, marketing, staff training, new equipment, better financing, certifications, strategic alliances. Review these actions and determine new shares each quarter for the next 90 days.

7) Determine the responsibility - you must establish who is responsible for what and when. Use a simple three column chart to keep track of the initiatives.

8) The most often overlooked, a strategic plan is a holiday. You and your team will work hard to implement the plan. To decide in advance the way in which celebrate. What is the reward? It could be a bonus or some new technology that you wanted, a party organization, regardless of looks fun to you.

9) The next step is to have each person establish priorities week, and the priority of each person chooses their # 1 priority for the week. This simple process, when written, and faithfully tracks will create the biggest difference in your organization.

10) Above all, do not worry about perfection and keep things simple. Your plan is not going to be published and criticized. It only has to make sense for you and your team. The aim is to be targeted and intentional, but flexible.

Have fun with it!

Darcie Harris...