What is the Process for Strategic Planning Services?

Ashish M. Shaji

15 Jan, 2021

Strategic planning involves the documenting process and establishing a direction of your small business. It usually assesses where you are and where you are headed. A well documented strategic plan can play a critical role in the growth of your small business and success. In this article we shall discuss the process for strategic planning services.

How are Strategic Planning Services Beneficial for You?

The process for strategic planning services may take some time but it is beneficial for all. As a business owner, you would have a better idea of the goals and objectives that you would want to achieve. For employees, this process can result in increase in productivity which will help in achieving business success.  

Apart from this there are other ways that it would be beneficial for you:

• Identifying strengths and weaknesses

With strategic planning process you can examine and analyse your entire business. You would know where your business does well and help you know the areas where improvement is required. By identifying the strengths and weaknesses, the process provides you with an opportunity to improve in the future and by minimizing risks, becomes a durable business.

• Increase in productivity

By involving the employees in the process of strategic planning, they get a sense of accountability which will increase productivity. Whether they contribute to the process or were informed about the goals of the business after the strategic plan was created, they would want to help you achieve the targets.

• Sets the direction and fosters a proactive business

Towards the completion of this process, you would have a clear plan of where you want to lead the business in the future. Such discussions and the process of planning helps to put the business in the best position to succeed. With this kind of planning you and your business get the time to know how to grow the over the next few years and also helps in you in knowing how to tackle the challenges and opportunities. It will help your business not to stumble, four or five years down the road.

Strategic Planning Services: Importance of Business plan

For an organization to function efficiently, a goal and a vision is vital therefore it can be gained by business plan.  A good business plan is deemed to be the ultimate roadmap for an organization. It contains the business model definition, market analysis, financial projections and detailed report of business activity.

Process for Strategic Planning

The main objective of the process is to make sure everyone involved in the business is aligned. The process of this type of planning requires to go through three phases i.e. – Discussion, development and reviewing and updating phase.

• Discussion Phase-

In this information, opinions and inputs are gathered through discussion. One can set a scheduled meeting with the employees and the staff who are involved in the planning. Set an agenda and have a clear expectation of the goals that you would want to achieve in each meeting.

Apart from these meetings you can also contact vendors, investors, analysts and other such people to gather information. Getting their opinions would be invaluable. They can help you determine where you want to lead your business to.

One can also do SWOT analysis^[1]. SWOT stands for Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat. It will help in knowing where the business is performing well, where it can improve and the future opportunities that can help in the success of the business.

• Development Phase-

Second step of the process is the development phase. It is the time when you start putting together the strategic plan of the business. When a person creates goals and objectives for the business, such person should make realistic goals. Work with the employees to come up with goals for next two to three year mark. Discuss how these goals will be measured and tracked.

• Reviewing and Updating Phase-

This one of the crucial part that how often it will be reviewed and updated. Designating a person with such responsibility will help. There may be instances when reviewing strategic plan, you may not find yourself on track to achieve a goal. In that case never panic. All you need is to reassess the situation and figure out what and where it went wrong. It is a possibility that the goal wasn’t realistic.

After reviewing of the strategic plan, share the changes with the team, if any.  Encourage the employees to continue with the hard work to achieve the goals in the plan.

Importance of Forecasting and Sensitivity Analysis in Strategic Planning Services

The role of forecasting in Strategic planning services is essential in the modern management operations. It provides relevant and reliable information about past and future events. It boosts the confidence of the managers to take decisions related to forecasting. It helps in comparing the estimated and actual results. Ultimately forecasting leads to developing of sound foundation in the management.

Sensitivity analysis helps in identifying key variables that influence the project cost and benefits. It helps in determining demands, expenses, revenues and financial benefits.  Further, it helps in determining situations that occur due to change thereby implementing the actions that will help in mitigating the adverse effects.

What makes the Strategic Planning Services Successful?

A successful strategic planning includes a team effort between the employees and the employer and also with the vendors. The more employees engage with strategic plan, the more they will understand the strategy that one requires for the business.

Another important aspect to make it successful is that it must be flexible that means adapting to changes. It might take longer than usual to achieve a goal, don’t panic instead incorporate changes to put one in a better position to move forward.

When the planning is successful, everyone is on the same page with the directions and goals. Thereafter, each person would want to contribute to the growth and success of the business.

Conclusion

Read our article:Detailed Analysis of Strategic Cost Management