Things are different for business, and maybe its time for you to be different too. Planning is a habit and starting small, keeping it simple, means that over time you will have a continuous improvement approach to your business development.
Busy business owners may avoid business planning because it can appear overly complicated. A fully prepared planning document will take into consideration competitor analysis, long and short-term actions, and financial statements - all-important, but take time.
When your business is impacted by changing customer behaviours and unexpected marketplace influencers as we have seen recently, you could benefit from subtle or even radical adjustments in your business activities.
If you have not undertaken any planning for a while you are not alone. Most plans prepared for banks or during the start-up phase are gathering dust and likely bear little resemblance to your current enterprise.
The act of getting your thoughts on paper means that your ideas turn into measurable activities that are achievable - so start with a simple action plan.
Find a style of planning that works for you: This could be a bullet-pointed list, a visual mind-map diagram, or something more structured like the business model canvas.
Make it a living document: Revisit your plan often, get feedback from peers, customers, and trusted advisors, communicate to your team, acknowledge and celebrate the achievements and adjust or review items on your list not addressed.
Keep it simple: Make your goals achievable and time-based. Keep your list short, ideally three things at a time. Do not be afraid to stretch yourself – that “crazy’ idea in the back of your mind might just be the next big thing for your business. Let your plan guide your everyday activities
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