2. If you are a business owner, or are contemplating starting
your own business, if you don't have a strategic plan, you
are destined to fail. The creation of a effecient and
effective business plan can mean the difference between
having the need to work 70+ hours a week all year long -
only to find out that your business is only just breaking
even, or even worse, losing money.. Or being successful.
3. On the other end of the scale, many successful business
owners and entrepreneurs who have created and
implemented a business strategy generally work for less
hours, and produce a more sizeable income and profit
margins. You will also find, that in general, those who are
successful with their own business, attribute their success
to having a strategic plan.
4. Ok, we've discussed that having a good business strategy
plan is essential, but what really is "strategic business
management"? In its most basic form, its the process in
which the goals and objectives for your business are
defined, and an action plan is then created so you may
reach your goals and objectives.
5. You now know what it is. So how do you go about creating
a strategic plan for your business?
6. 1) Any business owner should know, and be able to
describe in detail, the vision for his or her business. Whats
the image that you want your business to have?
7. 2) Any operating business should have clear and concise
company values and guiding principles. For instance, what
are the reasons you are in business? Serve and protect?
Provide quality soap? And how do you do business? Do
you treat your customers like trash; or another form of
royalty?
8. 3) It would also be a good idea to create a 3 year and 5
year plan. Any business should implement a long-term
plan in which the basis is on broad objectives that will
assist you in getting your business from where it is today,
to where you want your business to be.
9. 4) Thinking not only long-term, but also short-term, will
also greatly help your business develop. Each year, you
should create, define, and plan specific objectives that
when accomplished, will help you on the road to achieving
your long-term goals. It is also worth noting, then when
setting and planning your annual goals, is pays to be
"SMART". Make sure your planning incorporates the
following points:
14. Include a list of obstacles and barriers which could holter
your success from achieving your goals. In any case,
getting to where you want your business to be, you'll need
resources. Create and define a list of resources you've
already got, and the other resources which you will need
to achieve your goals. At this point, you should also create
a concise action plan that clearly defines how you will
actually achieve the necessary goals. If your business has
any employees, it is of great importance to involve them
with this part of the business planning process.
15. 5) In your business plan, you should create simple and
concise milestones or benchmarks, that will define when
you have actually reached a goal or objective. This is an
essential part of the planning, as it will enable you to
measure your progress as a business.
16. 6) After you have created your strategic business plan, it is
of paramount importance that it is shared with anyone
who will be involved in the process. Your annual business
plan is the roadmap which will lead your business and
those involved, to the goals which need to be achieved --
but to be effective, everyone must end up at the same
goals and objectives, the "destination", if you will. And to
do so, everyone requires the same map.
17. 7) Its no use having a well thought-out and planned
strategic business plan, if you don't put it into action. You
now have a means to begin your business journey; its time
to start it.
18. 8) Be sure to regularly check and compare the progess of
your business, to the benchmarks defined in your business
plan.
19. If something should go wrong with your business, the
sooner you figure out what went wrong, or what is -
happening- wrong, the sooner you can fix the problem,
make the necessary adjustments and get your business
back on track.
20. 9) And finally, ensure that each year you follow the exact
same cycle to create your strategic business plan.
Dream, Plan, Act, Check. Thats all there is to it.
21. As a final comment, I'll leave you with this. Creating a
business strategy and ensuring that you follow it, is not
just about achieving specific goals and objectives. Its
purpose is to also make sure that the journey taken to
these goals, is a safe and enjoyable journey.
22. Having a safe trip is just as important as reaching your
final destination.