BUSINESS PLANNING

 

It is a shame that so many people think business plans are just for startups or to back up loan applications or for getting investors. The truth is that business planning offers serious benefits for everybody in business.

Here are some of the benefits:-

See the whole business. 

Business planning done right connects the dots in your business so you get a better picture of the whole. Strategy is supposed to relate to tactics with strategic alignment. Does that show up in your plan? Do your sales connect to your sales and marketing expenses? Are your products right for your target market? Are you covering costs including long-term fixed costs, product development and working capital needs as well? Take a step back and look at the larger picture.

Strategic Focus. 

Startups and small business need to focus on their special identities, their target markets and their products or services tailored to match.

Set priorities. 

You cannot do everything. Business planning helps you keep track of the right things and the most important things. Allocate your time, effort and resources strategically.

Manage change. 

With good planning process you regularly review assumptions, track progress and catch new developments so you can adjust. Plan vs actual analysis is a dashboard and adjusting the plan is steering.

Develop accountability. 

Good planning process sets expectations and tracks results. It is a tool for regular review of what is expected and what happened. Good work shows up. Disappointments show up too. A well-run monthly plan review with plan vs actual included becomes an impromptu review of tasks and accomplishments.

Manage cash. 

Good business planning connects the dots in the cash flow. Sometimes just watching profits is enough. When sales are on credit terms, buying physical products, purchasing assets or repaying debts are involved, cash flow is crucial for planning and management. Profitable businesses suffer when slow-paying clients or too much inventory constipate cash flow. A plan helps you see the problem and to adjust to it.

Strategic alignment. 

Does your day-to-day work fit with your main business tactics? Do those tactics match your strategy? If so, you have strategic alignment. If not, the business planning will bring up the hidden mismatches. 

Milestones. 

Good business planning sets milestones you can work towards. These are key goals you want to achieve, like reaching a defined sales level, hiring that sales manager or opening at a new location. We are human. We work better when we have visible goals we can work towards.

Metrics. 

Put your performance indicators and numbers to track into a business plan where you can see them monthly in the plan review meeting. Figure out the numbers that matter. Sales and expenses usually do but there are also calls, trips, seminars, web traffic, conversion rates, returns, and so forth. Use your business planning to define and track the key metrics.

Realistic regular reminders to keep on track. 

We all want to do everything for our customers but sometimes we need to push back to maintain quality and strategic focus. It is hard, during the heat of the everyday routine, to remember the priorities and focus. The business planning process becomes a regular reminder.

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