How to create a strategic plan for a successful new year
I love a fresh start, don’t you? With it being almost Q4, you may be gearing up for a fresh start this upcoming January, with goals to launch something even bigger and better that will make up for the goals you didn’t hit so far this year. Or…
Perhaps it’s not too late? With three full months to go, a strategic map can have an impact on this year AND next. A Strategic Mapping VIP Day is a licensed service that I provide to clients. This service is centered around 3 main components: look back, look ahead, and take action.
Look back
“You can’t really know where you are going until you know where you have been.”
What did you achieve?
Look back at the last 3 quarters of 2023. This is the perfect time for some reflection on all the things we did. So, there are a couple of questions I like to ask myself or my team. What are you proud of? What did you accomplish? What achievement do you want to shout from the rooftops? I've heard some amazing answers and, if you try this, you will too.
You'll have people who are proud of a pivotal moment, where they feel like their attitude, their work, or their deliverables took a 180-degree turn for the better. You'll have people who are proud of an accomplishment, award, recognition, or certification. You might be surprised at the answers your team gives — or what you are especially proud of when you take the time to sit back and think.
So, before you think about what you're going to do next, think about what you have already achieved. Taking the time to reflect on what you've done, and why you should be proud of yourself, will empower you for everything that comes next.
let me know …
Look ahead
“When a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind.”
Write down your workflows
It is always a great time to document and organize your standard operating procedures. One of the biggest reasons businesses struggle to grow is because workflows are all in one person's head. Getting them out of your head and documented where everyone can reference them is a total game-changer. Written workflows make it easier to grow your team moving forward because they will have step-by-step guidance on how to do a task. Take advantage of the slow season and get this done. Does writing it all down seem daunting? Tango makes it fast and easy to document all your SOPs.
Do a quarterly check-in on your strategic plan
You should be creating a strategic plan every year and reviewing it quarterly. You aren't where you were a year ago, and your plan shouldn't stay there, either. You've changed, you've grown, and new things have caught your attention. You need to make sure that your strategic plan for the year captures all of that. You want a plan that's fun, fresh, and pushes you forward. And if you don’t have a plan, it’s time to build one.
The best strategic plans have four parts
The best strategic plans — the ones that keep you grounded and move you forward — have four components.
✨ Goals: Where am I going? Success looks different for each person. It can be financial growth and stability, business expansion, skill development for you and your team, a better work-life balance, having a greater social impact, or anything else that is important to you.
✨ Strategy: How am I going to get there? Once you know where you're going, it's much easier to make decisions about how you want to get there. Just like a real road trip, it's good to have a primary route as well as detours you can take to get around obstacles.
✨ Mission: Why am I doing this? Your mission is your motivation. Remembering your "why" will keep you going when dealing with a difficult situation. In murky waters, a strong mission helps you see clearly and make solid decisions.
✨ Values: What values am I willing to lose money over this year? Maybe it's customer experience, or employee well-being, or ending relationships with difficult clients. Your values are your boundaries. Set them when there's no pressure, and you'll be committed to keeping them when the pressure is on.
Preparation
Every company, regardless of size, has at least 7 areas of focus. If your business is smaller, you may be responsible for several of them. If it’s larger, you may have team and department leads to help. Either way, it’s a great idea to check in on those 7 areas and set updated targets for them each quarter. The following questions will help you determine what’s next in each area of your business.
👥 Scaling & Team Growth: Do you have the right people, and are they in the right role to make their best contributions?
⚙️ Operational Efficiencies: Are your systems working for you, or are they inhibiting you and your team?
💵 Business Growth & Financials: What's your cash flow? Do you have more revenue than expenses? Do you have enough cash reserves for taxes, unexpected events, or to take advantage of unique growth opportunities?
📲 Visibility & Marketing: Do your analytics indicate that your current marketing strategies are working? Are you tracking your marketing analytics? What needs to change to help you hit your next sales target?
🛠️ Product Development: Are you considering new offers? Do you have the team and systems in place to deliver them?
🤩 Customer/Client Experience: Are you creating an experience that results in repeat customers, strong testimonials, and powerful word of mouth? Do you clients feel taken care of?
✅ Professional Development: Is there anything else that you need to be ready for the year ahead? Are there new skills or services you’d like to be able to offer through yourself or your team?
Take action
If you have ideas and goals for several of these areas, you need a strategic plan to implement them, one that puts the right steps in the right order so you don’t get stuck. Do you need help to set up measurable goals and a roadmap to reach them? Apply for a Strategic Mapping VIP Day that will prepare you to take on the next quarter and year with confidence and clarity!
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