Headline

Strategic planning has a big part of any business, whether you call it that specific term or not. In order to make the most of strategic planning, you will need to understand just what it is. Strategic planning encompasses many things, including the scope of your business, your business goals, and the mission of your business, your business procedures, and plans for various situations.

As you can see, there is a great deal to strategic planning. However, have you put the time and thought into this planning as it deserves? Most likely, you have not. However, here you will find four tips to making the most of strategic planning no matter how small or large your business may be.

1. Choose people to include on a small team. If you have a very small business, you may have an extremely small team. However, it is important to include others in the strategic planning process. You will need to choose people who are positive and professional. You will also need to choose people who understand your business and can think of new ideas and actions.

2. Include all of your employees in the process. By involving all of your employees, you will be able to get a better idea of your business as a whole as well as the needs of your workers. Have them write down their ideas on how to improve their particular job. Also, ask them for their thoughts and suggestions on your business as a whole.

3. Do not just jump in headfirst. Of course, you are going to need to have meetings or strategy meetings per say. If you walk into these meetings unprepared, you will most likely get very little done. Make sure you spend some time in advance deciding what areas of the business you want to work on and what types of plans you wish to put into place.

4. Know that it will be a work in progress. No strategic planning ends with just a few meetings. The whole planning process will be something that is ongoing throughout the whole life of the business. No matter what is happening now, something new will happen in the future. Understanding that planning is ongoing will help you better handle it today.

Strategic planning can be invaluable. Chances are, you have done a little of this planning in the past. However, in order to make the most of it, you need to organize the process and get others involved.

Comment (0)

Strategic planning has a big part of any business, whether you call it that specific term or not. In order to make the most of strategic planning, you will need to understand just what it is. Strategic planning encompasses many things, including the scope of your business, your business goals, and the mission of your business, your business procedures, and plans for various situations.

As you can see, there is a great deal to strategic planning. However, have you put the time and thought into this planning as it deserves? Most likely, you have not. However, here you will find four tips to making the most of strategic planning no matter how small or large your business may be.

1. Choose people to include on a small team. If you have a very small business, you may have an extremely small team. However, it is important to include others in the strategic planning process. You will need to choose people who are positive and professional. You will also need to choose people who understand your business and can think of new ideas and actions.

2. Include all of your employees in the process. By involving all of your employees, you will be able to get a better idea of your business as a whole as well as the needs of your workers. Have them write down their ideas on how to improve their particular job. Also, ask them for their thoughts and suggestions on your business as a whole.

3. Do not just jump in headfirst. Of course, you are going to need to have meetings or strategy meetings per say. If you walk into these meetings unprepared, you will most likely get very little done. Make sure you spend some time in advance deciding what areas of the business you want to work on and what types of plans you wish to put into place.

4. Know that it will be a work in progress. No strategic planning ends with just a few meetings. The whole planning process will be something that is ongoing throughout the whole life of the business. No matter what is happening now, something new will happen in the future. Understanding that planning is ongoing will help you better handle it today.

Strategic planning can be invaluable. Chances are, you have done a little of this planning in the past. However, in order to make the most of it, you need to organize the process and get others involved.

Want to know more or need help?  We have two opportunities for you: Register for a one-on-one Strategy Session with Melissa. Your investment is only $247 (value $1000) AND you can apply the cost of your session to any Broshe Group product or service you purchase within one year of your strategy session. Sign Up Here.

Join us for the live seminar: Top Secrets Revealed: 5 Ways to be Recession Proof This Year and Beyond!  Say Yes to More Money, More Clients, More Assignments, and More Success!  Sign Up Here.

Comment (0)

If they see the light, then they can get to you.
If there’s a fog, then there’s no way to get to you
and they might not even know you’re there.

Clarifying your vision is a process. Once you understand what your vision is and you are able to articulate your vision, you have the opportunity to then get granular and focused in relation to how best to serve your community and how best to solve the problems that are plaguing that community. Clarity allows you to get closer to the transformation you offer and show how you are going to provide that transformation. The closer you are, the crisper your communication
becomes and the easier it is to articulate what that transformation looks like. It becomes easier to articulate how you can get your client from where they are now to where they want to be, from facing a problem, to being on the other side of it with a solution.

This is an excerpt from my Amazon Best Seller, Sole to Soul: How To Identify Your Soul Purpose and Monetize It. Get your copy today.

Comment (0)

Think of a business this way: it exists for a very specific purpose. Every business will have its purpose. There is no choice therefore but to build a business as a set of systems and procedures that when working together in some 'orchestrated' fashion delivers on this purpose. Not delivers once or twice - but all the time. Like a car and its engine: a car would be unsaleable if it didn't respond to the ignition each and every time it is switched on.

A successful business is not unlike a fully functional motor vehicle. There is handbook that defines how things are done, the manual of procedures. Even if it not written down as would be case for a car manual, there is nonetheless a way things happen which are convincing. The 'hum' the 'rhythm' of a good business is based on having processes, or systems, that are repeatable and predictable - that produce the same result each time, every time. For sure being in business involves literally hundreds of interrelated and loosely related activities - it is, after all, very easy for a business owner to be involved in dozens of different and often disparate activities during a typical day.

Not surprisingly, many issues coming up become mini fires that need to be put out. There is little time for the "luxury' of systems or strategic thinking. Yes, sometimes the fires are the result of poor systems design or a lack of strict focus. The pressure of getting things done, of generating cash flow are all consuming.

Relentless pressure is part and parcel of being in business. Every aspect of a business and certainly the aspect of fulfilling customer requirements put the business under pressure to deliver. A successful business not only delivers smoothly in 'normal' times but responds to increased pressure without collapsing.

Operating manuals and procedures become the tools that ensure the customer fulfillment aspect. Growth comes from adaptability and an inbuilt flexibility in the procedures that enable scaling and change to be accommodated. Design changes, feature additions, volume adjustments, new equipment, and advances in technology - are all de rigueur in business. What are constant are the procedures that contribute to the internal 'logistics' of the business.

The business owner's mission is to maintain a role of rigorous testing and re-testing of the capabilities of the business and to fine tune the procedures.

Comment (0)

Strategy is all about sitting above the noise and clutter of the day to day activities of a business. Many business owners particularly those who have a personality included towards control have difficulty with strategy and often find themselves confronted with a business that is failing to profit from the opportunities in the market.

This goes far beyond the simple issue of personality (although personality of the business driver does contribute to both the success and failure of a business). There is a strong tendency for people going into business for the reason to have independence; to create wealth, to have a lifestyle that a job can't give. Often too, there is a belief that because they have a special skill or knowledge that this can be turned into a profitable venture. Some people have very high technical skills and others have accomplished great results in their career. But generally there are qualities beyond the skill set that determine a successful business.

At the early stages of a business the business owner takes on many different activities, some of which are beyond her competence. Few are experienced in strategic planning. More often than not they possess core skills other than strategic thinking.

The inevitable outcome is that technically competent business owners may be self-employed but they are not business owners. Many simple create a job for themselves. But to achieve growth, delegation, systems and a strategic approach to business is required. The self employed will be limited in their capacity to produce a growing and thriving business, replete with employees and disparate locations.

The difference between the self employed skilled technician and the owner lies in strategic thinking and the intention of true business creation rather than self-employment. All the significant long term decisions to do with building a business come from a strategic mindset: will this business be eventually sold? Will this business attract investors who inject capital for growth? Will these investors see a business that can grow beyond the direct ability of the founder owner?

The ultimate goal for most owners is to have a business that can carry on without them. A business with real value. That is the essence of a sustainable and ultimately wealth-creating business. A business that becomes a living organism within the total economy. A business that can be sold or gifted. A business that supports you to live a truly remarkable life.

Comment (0)

When you own a business, one of the things that you want to avoid at all costs is surprise. Really, the only surprise that you want to see is a surprising rise in sales. Any other unexpected thing can be frustrating, stressful, and even detrimental to your business. What is the best way to avoid surprise? The answer is planning. If you take the time to plan, then you will be ready for any unexpected issue that may come your way.

The truth is, unexpected things will happen in the lifetime of a business. There will be times when accidents happen, when business slows, or when you have to make changes. This is all a part of the life cycle of a business. Planning for these unexpected issues is the key to helping your company survive.

There are two main areas that you want to plan for and be prepared for. These two areas include growth and change. Both of these are inevitable for a business, and both will happen on a fairly regular basis. If you do not plan for them, your business could suffer badly.

The best way to plan is to do two things: have a backup option and have a procedure. While you may think that, since growth is good, you do not really have to plan for it, just react. This is not true at all. Growth can be a time of stress and decision-making. You will have to plan on how to handle the growth. Will you hire new employees? Do you have room in your current location to grow, or will you need to move?

There are many, many questions that come along with the growth of a small business. Instead of just reacting when things happen, if you already have a plan of action ready, the growth process will go smoothly and you will not lose customers along the way.

The second area is change. We all know that things change within the world and within business. What people expect from a business will change on a regular basis. If you are not prepared to make changes, then you will quickly be left behind.

Although you cannot plan exactly when changes will need to take place, you certainly can plan for the changes. If you already know that changes will need to happen, you will not be so frustrated when they come along.

Comment (0)