The past several years have been a challenging time for individuals and organizations. We've had to rethink and in some cases reinvent the value proposition we bring to our work. Take these five steps to help you survive, and thrive, in the new environment we are confronted with in the 21st century.
1. Have a Plan: Now more than ever you need to step back and develop a plan. Peter Drucker, one of the most notable names in management theory, says the goal of a business is "to attract and maintain customers." Strategic Planning is the process of determining the future and what resources will be needed to achieve your goals. The big picture is your vision, this defines what business you are in and what you want to become. It is a statement of what you or your organization will look like. You need to define values, how do you see your relationship with customers, stakeholders, employees and all others. Next is the external assessment SLOT: strengths, limitations, opportunities and trouble. Evaluate trend analysis, what changes are taking place in your industry, in your customers' world and in other areas of the world. You're now ready for your mission statement which should describe how the vision will be achieved over a specific time frame.
2. Work Your Plan: To succeed you must execute your plan. Identify critical goal categories, what must happen, or what must we make happen for our mission to be achieved? Planning goals must be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. Your "market plan" needs to identify market segments, market communications and sales support. Use the "Four Point System": one point for each name you add to your database, two points for obtaining an appointment with a decision maker, three points for meeting with a decision maker and four points for signing an agreement or contract. You must work this system each day, four points daily. The doctor says an apple a day, each day, not seven apples on Sunday. Build your plan and then work your plan.
3. Customer Focus: Identify and satisfy customer needs. Know who your customer is then stay focused on their needs. If you listen, identify and dig out the causes of customers' problems, and develop profitable solutions, you will build your business and provide value to those customers. Drucker defines the goal of business, "to attract and maintain customers"; you must be customer-focused.
4. Implement and Deliver Value: To maintain customers you must deliver value in your contacts and engagement. Value can be helping them make money/save money, improve performance or faster implementation. Find ways to measure and prove what it is you bring to the table. You can attract customers with marketing; however, to retain them you must deliver value.
5. Be Flexible: Your follow-up plan and implementation process must be tracked and reviewed on a regular basis. Create a dashboard to measure, track and focus on the activities that must be done for your success. The dashboard is an excellent tool that shows if the business is on track, if not you can then identify actions you must take to reach your goals. Be flexible--the market and world is constantly changing and evolving. Review your plan often.
These steps have worked well for me. Start with this checklist today to gain control of your own destiny.
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