Improve Your BUSINESS –

A strategic plan should start by asking “What is the real purpose of this organization. What are we trying to achieve?”

        When you have a clear understanding of the situation and a good rapport with your staff, you will be ready to draft a workable plan.

(These steps apply to improving any type of organization whether it is a small business, a school, a supermarket, a factory, or a large international organization.)

Five of the best tips to help improve your business

* Where do you want the business to go?

        What is your vision? What are your goals?

        Where do you want the business to be, and by when?

* What does the business do best?

        Find out what is going on around you. What could be done better?

        What opposition is there? What are the long-term prospects?

* Carry out a SWOT analysis

        List your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

        Decide on your priorities. Concentrate on your strengths but keep looking  for new opportunities.

* Prepare SMART objectives

        These must be realistic and able to be measured. They should be like a journey. 

You need a map (plan), resources (a budget), a destination, and a schedule and you will need to know when you arrive.  So make them SMART; Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and completed on Time.

* List the tasks to be done

        Plan each task and get commitment from the key people to achieve the results by specific dates. 

        Today’s preparations will determine tomorrow’s achievements.

        A strategic plan doesn’t predict the future but it does help you cope with future contingencies.

-Geoffrey Moss(mossassociates.co.nz)

“As plans are formed draft proposals should be moved upwards to see if the ideas are acceptable and downwards to see if they will work.”

Source: “Revitalise Your Business”, Moss Associates Ltd, and “Business Secrets” published by Cengage Learning Asia. Also available as e-books from Amazon.com and VitalSource.