We don’t drive with our eyes closed, so why do many of us plan to scale up our businesses with our eyes closed? OK, so not literally with our eyes closed! But without a real plan or strategy – ie, without really knowing a direction to go in. Having a plan is really important – after all you have a destination in mind every time you drive somewhere, and why should you pay less attention to your business than to your driving?
Driving without a map
‘My plan is in my head’, you say. Well that is certainly better than having nothing, but is it good enough? Let’s face it, your business should be the engine that is going to produce the income to live for today and the extra profit that you can save up and bank to pay for the long term lifestyle you want to have. If you want that lifestyle, then your business and your family deserve you being the best you can be. Having your plan in your head is akin to driving a completely new route with no SatNav or map. Sure, you have a vague idea of where you want to go, but you don’t know how long it will take, what challenges could arise, and what the best route is to get there.
Strategic Plan and Growth Plan
Having your plan written down is actually really important. And actually, you need a plan that is in two parts. A big picture of where you are going and what success looks like, ie your strategic plan. Then a milestone based growth plan for the next 3, 6, or 12-months. This the ‘what-to-do-next’ plan, the way that you will move from where you are now towards your strategic goals, with milestones so that you can tick off your progress along the way. Your growth plan and strategy are then your roadmap for the journey ahead.
Your growth plan and the milestones you set will also help you check your progress. Just as you check your speedo when you are driving, so you need to check your results and your growth plan for your business. Going back to your growth plan and reviewing it frequently, ie every 3 months, is important. If necessary, update and revise your growth plan as the impact of what has actually happened affects your plans.
The end result? Something that becomes a fundamentally useful way of scaling your business. That will ensure that you get to where you want to go as efficiently as possible. So to actually achieve that great lifestyle for your family, we can help you prepare and monitor progress in achieving your strategic plan and growth plan to help make the most of what you’ve got.
Ready to plan to scale up, and build your strategic plan and growth plan? Take control of your future, and book your free appointment to get started here.
