Strategic Planning

Short-Term Business Success

Often, business owners and managers leave tomorrow to take care of itself as they deal with what has to be done today.

A good product, a wide-open marketplace and little competition will only keep a business going for the short term.

Long-Term Business Success

The reality is that many start-up businesses fail within the first five years.

Creating a strategic plan increases the odds of success by providing clear direction and the steps necessary to achieve a business's goals.

The process itself also pays dividends by

• revealing ideas gathered from employees.
• motivating managers and employees through their participation.
• capturing a common understanding of the company's mission.
• getting the whole team moving in the same direction.
• building teamwork.

Completing the strategic plan also provides an excellent opportunity to

• communicate the company's direction on a broad basis to employees.
• describe and emphasize the company's values.

Our Services

Outside Facilitator
We become the outside facilitator that keeps the company on task through the strategic planning process.

A facilitator can

• keep the process forward-looking to long-term issues.
• move participants out of the current, comfortable frame of thinking.
• maximize participation in the process.
• avoid having current crises slow down the process.

Internal Analysis
We help you assess the company's

• financial history.
• accomplishment history.
• strengths and weaknesses.
• existing resources.
• current organization.
• perceived existing problems.

External Analysis
We help you examine

• industry trends.
• government policy.
• sociologic and economic factors.
• the characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of each competitor.
• how the company measures up to its competition.

Results
We guide you in creating

• a vision statement that clearly describes what the company should look like in three to five years.
• a mission statement.
• strategy, goals and action plans.

Action plans document tasks to do over the next year to help the company achieve its vision. They often require effort extending over several months or a year. A plan details

• what is required.
• a due date.
• assignment to a specific manager or employee.