Five Provocative Questions for Moving Your Business Forward

The last time you set out on a journey to a destination where you had never been before, one of the tools you probably took with you was a map. Sometimes meandering through back roads and enjoying the scenery is a delight, however, when getting to the destination in a timely fashion is important, it is usually helpful to have a plan. The specifics of this article relate to business, however, the process can be helpful no matter what the goal.

Many of you are small business owners and most of you do not have a business plan for one reason or another. I thought a plan would be a long detailed document that I would complete, put in a binder and then store on a shelf in my office to collect dust. I discovered that I could develop a useful “living” document that would be a valuable map to guide me when making business decisions. In these critical economic times an efficient and well focused business is more likely to succeed than one that just muddles through with little forethought or planning.

Consider these five questions as they apply to your business. The answers to these questions will be the start of your One Page Business Plan.

1.What is your vision for your business, what do you want it to look like in some specified time…6 months, a year, 5 years? It’s hard to get from here to there if you do not know where there is? This is your dream for your business and is valid as stated or until you decide to change it. This step in the process can be as easy as a “fill in the blank” exercise.

2.What do you provide that is unique? What do you want to be known for? Your mission is what makes you different…it sets you apart from your competition. For some of you it will be the customer service you provide, others of you will identify the products you produce, still others will focus on the development of human potential. Only you can identify YOUR mission. This is timeless and speaks to the essence of your business. The most useful mission statements are very focused…the best ones are 10 words or less.

3.What do you want to accomplish and how will you know when it’s done? Objectives directly support your Vision and Mission (verb+noun+number). These are 4-6 measurable results you will follow for a defined period of time. Each objective will be addressed by at least one action plan. If there is no action associated with the objective, how can you expect to accomplish it?

4.How will you attract and keep customers? How will you grow your business? Strategies are the types of activities and the methods you use to support your mission and create your vision. Strategies are a reflection of who you are in business. They may address the use of technology, professional ethics, personal and professional growth, etc. (goal + how) Strategies define your business and remain in place for the life of the plan.

5.What will you do? When will you do it? What result do you expect? All the planning in the world is useless unless you take action. (verb + project + completion date). These are the actual steps you will take in the near term to move your business forward. At least one planned action will address each objective. Be specific. The more specific the action, the more likely you are to meet you objective.

The ideas presented here are not new; you have heard all the questions before. Just reading this article and/or following these guidelines will probably not result in the development of an effective business plan. The process will take time and effort; the most useful plans will be the result of collaboration between you and an experienced business consultant. The time you take now will pay off big time down the road.