Developing plans is a great way to start the New Year. In my business blog last year, I walked my readers through a simple planning process that involved looking at the NOW, WHERE and HOW aspects of their businesses. I know that that simple and effective process helped many of them start 2012 with a rush.
For those who haven’t read last year’s article and who need a push this year, here are some of the important points:
1. Where are we NOW?
Talking about the NOW means looking at where you are now. It’s time to just sit back and take stock of your business. Take a good hard look of what you’re doing.
2. Define the WHERE
Set targets for your business such as the level of sales would you like to have? What level of profitability you would like to have? What sorts of volumes would you like to do?
3. HOW will you move from NOW to WHERE?
Understand what’s required to take your business to the next level and move from where you are now to where you want to be.
After refreshing your mind with the NOW, WHERE and NOW of your business, this year for 2013, I’d like you to focus on two simple steps that will help you start your horticultural business with a roll.
1. Make sure your Annual Plan for 2013 aligns with your Strategic Goals and Plans for 3 to 5 years. Look at 2013 as a stepping stone to achieve bigger success. For more details on how to do this, watch my Planning for Success in 2012 video.
2. For a simple, yet powerful planning process, apply my Simple Strategy process to your business. It works you through the NOW-WHERE-HOW framework and uses our Strategic SWOT Toll to help you develop strategies and actions. Watch the video for more tips.
Follow these few easy steps to get that push you need to get it going for 2013.
Russell Cummings is a career consultant having spent the last 25 years working as a Strategy and Business Development Facilitator to a wide cross-section of businesses and industries. For more information on Russell, visit www.sbdbusiness.com.au
