Design Your Own Future
Did you know.….companies with written business plans have 100% higher profits, on average, than other companies? So says a survey conducted by Arthur Andersen’s Enterprise Group in conjunction with National Small Business United, a Washington, DC trade group. Yet only 28% of the companies surveyed had written strategic business plans.
A well-written, well-executed strategic business plan can mean the difference between reacting to what the future may hold and designing your own future. Think of a plan as a “dream with deadlines.”
There are many reasons why you may not want to write a strategic business plan. It’s time-consuming. It’s difficult. And many ask, “What’s the point? Tomorrow something will change and my plan won’t be any good anymore.” But the reasons to plan - and the benefits - far outweigh the excuses. With strategic planning you’ll have:
 | A shared vision that your whole agency will want to achieve |
| Measurable goals and the game plans to achieve them |
| The ability to respond to changing conditions |
| Alignment with key carriers through joint planning |
| A bright future |
If you don’t have a strategic business plan for your agency, or if it’s time to revisit your plan, try one of our do-it-yourself planning tools.
| The EZ Planning Tool is a one-page guide to strategic planning.
No buzz words, just a simple-to-follow process. |
| The Strategic Planning Guide provides detailed definitions and
instructions for developing your strategic business plan. |
Using one of these tools, you may be able to develop your agency’s strategic business plan without any other help. Most agencies, however, find that it’s helpful to have someone guide you through the process, at least the first time around. An outside facilitator can help you stay focused on the task at hand. And, the objectivity of a “impartial third party” will help you get the most from the planning experience.
Whether you do it yourself or bring in some assistance, you'll want to find the right time and place to involve key employees in the process. Take the example of George Washington and take yourself and your staff out of the action long enough to focus on this important management tool. Read about Washington's retreat and how it applies to your business.
Check out Using Outside Consultants for more information on the benefits of using a consultant. Also get additional information and learn more about our consulting firm.
