Is It Time to Review Your Strategic Plan Given That You Have Only 9 Months Left?
The first quarter of 2007 is now history. Are your sales goals where you wanted them? Have you secured all those new clients? Is your customer loyalty increasing? And finally, is your business profitable? If you cant quickly answer these questions with a loud YES, then it is time to return to your strategic plan and make those necessary course corrections.
Years ago after 9/11, I spoke to over a group of 100 business owners and asked them how many had been negatively affected by that horrendous day? Over 90 hands were quickly raised. Then I asked how many had returned to their strategic plans to review current business goals and set new ones during this time of economic uncertainty? Only 5 hands reached for the ceiling.
What the other 85 hands reaffirmed is that hope is the most commonly shared and least effective business building strategy. When we hope to achieve business goals, we leave the future to someone elses control.
Business in the 21st century and especially after 9/11 demands more than the hope. Every business needs a strategic business plan of who does what by when supported the WAY SMART criteria for goal achievement.
Many business owners are familiar with the SMART goal criteria: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistically set high and Target date, time driven. Yet, as a business coach, I have recognized that to build a thriving business requires the addition of three other goal criteria. Goals must be Written, Aligned to Plan and Yours.
By actively reviewing your business plan, monitoring your WAY SMART goals and making those course corrections when necessary, hope will no longer be your key business building strategy.
TAKE ACTION by establishing one 30-day marketing goal and one sales goal. Use the WAY SMART criteria to write each goal. Take the time to think about all potential obstacles and possible solutions before writing down any action steps. If you are still having challenges, you may wish to hire a business coach with a proven track record.
Leanne Hoagland-Smith, M.S. is a business coach and executive coach with offices in Indianapolis and near Chicago. She writes, speaks and coaches people in businesses to quickly double or triple results through the creation of an executable strategic plan along with the necessary leadership skills "to pull it off."
One quick question,if you could stop what is keeping you up at night, would that be important to you? Then, take a risk and give me, Leanne, a call at 219.759.5601 to experience incredible results.
Visit http://www.processspecialist.com/ and explore everything from free articles to connecting with Leanne.
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