Create a winning strategy for your business

Why do you need to put thought and planning into business strategy? The simple answer is that if you don’t, you’ll end up somewhere but it’s unlikely to be where you hoped.

In a bit more detail, the following things happen to businesses who set and work to a strategic plan.

They cope with the uncertainties of the market and the economy well.

  • They make more money.
  • They attract great customers and employees.
  • They become a much better place for everyone to work.
  • Stress and chaos get eliminated.
  • The future becomes visible, enjoyable and a lot more certain.

So, how do you go about setting your business strategy?

The first thing I do with every business owner I work with is to ask them to tell me what they really want out of their business in 1, 3 and 5 years time. Those will be both business and personal goals and aspirations because, let’s face it, your business is there to give you more life.

This is a great place to start.

Now in some cases, this is very specific and very short term – people just want the pain to stop. And if that’s the case, that’s exactly what to focus on. It’s very difficult to dream about a bright future in 5 years time if the current situation is such that existing in 12 months seems impossible to imagine.

In general though, most people I speak to are able to look and think at least 1-3 years ahead. Maybe the full end game isn’t clear but generally what they’re looking for in the short term is. If that’s the case for you then write it down and focus on that level of improvement. You can always extend the timeframe later.

For most people, the challenge is the outcome. Maybe you’ve never really thought about what your options are. Maybe it seems a long way off into the future. Maybe you can only think in terms of what’s possible today. And this seems to be truer for personal goals and aspirations than it is for business. If this is the case speak with the people who are close to you – dare to think a bit further ahead and have the conversation about what you really want from life, no matter how outlandish it may seem today.

Then you can work out what the major themes are within your business that need to change or develop to get you where you want to go. We call these the Moving Parts of your business and whilst every business is different, I’ve never seen more than 7 Moving Parts that need taking care of to make things happen. Often this is only 5.

Once you’ve worked out the Moving Parts, you can build a plan to move each one from where it is today to where it needs to be in the future.

This is where most people give up.

Not because it’s too complex, time consuming or difficult to get your head around, but because at this point, you won’t know how to do all the things you’re going need to do. And that’s OK. This is all part of the plan.

When you know where the gaps are you can fill them. Sometimes that’s through learning and education, sometimes by enlisting the help of people who’ve done this before. Sometimes by finding people who have the skills and knowledge you’ll need and getting them involved as employees or outside experts.

Once we acknowledge that we don’t yet know everything we’re going to need to know but that all that knowledge is accessible and available, the journey becomes much more exciting. The possibilities open up and that’s when life gets fun again. Remember the hopes and dreams you had when you first started? This is how you grab hold of them.

So going back to the beginning. What if Business Strategy wasn’t just something for business schools and corporations. What if it was the roadmap to what you really want in life? Isn’t that worth some time, energy and learning to put together?

We work with business owners and MD’s to help gain clarity on their strategy and more. If you’re struggling with where to start why not schedule a conversation with us? It’s free and at the very least you’ll come away with a couple of ideas to help you move forward.

Arrange a call at a time to suit you here.

Alternatively come along to one of our business training workshops –  Upcoming Events

Would you like articles and updates sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to our mailing list here.