Most organizations and sales departments have some type of Strategic Plan. Often is just a collection or group of projects or actions that may or may not have a positive impact on the future direction of the organization or department. It’s usually just a list on a piece of paper listed together and called “Strategic Plan or Strategy.”
What is it really and what are you meaning to say? Here’s a few questions to consider:
Is what you listed really going to be transformational or transform your business?
Will it help your business achieve some new level of success?
Will it help make your company grow to a new level of success?
Will it make your company something you’re not at present, but want it to be? Is it a carefully crafted, clear theme which ties together all your “initiatives, actions and projects”?
For example:
- We will become one of the top three suppliers in the ____market.
- We will expand distribution into ____ and ___ segments and capture ____ within 18 months.
- We will reduce the cost of ___ by ___ without sacrificing quality, delivery, or service within 12 months.
Why do this? So employees know what the direction of the company is and they see that the work they are doing ties into the overarching plan. ( They are probably used to the “flavor of the month” type of understanding of whatever the shiny object is today.
It’s all about where you’re heading. How do you know if what you’re doing is working?
Write your Statement of Strategy, be clear & concise. Does it outline something that is transformational for your business?
INSIGHT: Write your Statement of Strategy. It may be about performance data, comparative positioning; customer outcomes; a major event like an acquisition or entry into a new market or industry. Do NOT include numbers…because it will turn into a “budget project” and get sidetracked.
Then, Answer the questions from above. If it passes the questions, you have a real Statement of Strategy and you can now create and develop your strategic plan.
