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Introduction 

Many small business owners create a business plan as part of their overall launch. However, with the day-to-day of running the business, a lot of time goes by before you refer back to that plan&mdash;if at all. Much can happen in the business during those years: priorities may have shifted, new products were added, and key staff came onboard or moved on.

Suddenly, you realize that your business has changed course, but your long-range plans aren&rsquo;t updated to reflect the new direction. Business strategy means having a long-range plan and milestones which ensures your business performs. And it should be something you do year in, year out.

The best way to ensure you reach your goals is to go through the important process of annual planning. This process will help you formally identify if you&rsquo;re on track, or even if changes in circumstances&mdash;like new technology, market changes, turnover and new products&mdash;mean you need to reassess your long-range plan.

Each year, take the time to measure progress and assess the specific steps you&rsquo;ll take in the coming year to ensure that you stay on track.

This kit is designed to get you started on your annual strategic plan. You&rsquo;ll get:

<ul>
	<li>A detailed walkthrough of each aspect of the planning process&nbsp;</li>
	<li>A roadmap for the process</li>
	<li>A detailed worksheet that will prompt you to establish meeting schedules, tackle issues and set milestones for success</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

A business owner wears three hats

In his book, The E-Myth Revisited, Michael Gerber describes three hats worn by new business owners. You probably feel comfortable in two of them, the &ldquo;technician&rdquo; and &ldquo;entrepreneur&rdquo; hats, but you also acquired a &ldquo;manager&rdquo; hat along the way, which may be a less natural fit.&nbsp;

Guidelines for strategic success

<ul>
	<li>Think realistically about where your business is going</li>
	<li>Be flexible about your expectations</li>
	<li>Set concrete performance goals and create a plan to achieve them</li>
</ul>

The importance of strategic planning

Turning your vision into reality requires a healthy, realistic approach and a well-crafted path to success. You need to think realistically about where your business is going and be flexible about your expectations.&nbsp;

Identify the purpose of your business

Have you ever asked, simply and honestly, &ldquo;What is the purpose of my business?&rdquo;&nbsp;

Keap&rsquo;s purpose and current mission are:

Purpose: To help small businesses succeed.

Current Mission: To simplify growth for millions of small businesses worldwide.

&nbsp;

Analyze results for continuous improvement

We like to involve Keap employees from every department in our annual planning process.&nbsp;

With strategic issues in hand, the group can now identify the top 3 to 5 priorities for the year ahead. Remember, SWOT+ is an exercise in focus and alignment&mdash;a bridge between your mission and the goals and priorities you&rsquo;ll identify in the next step.

&nbsp;

Understand how strategy guides planning

Regardless of the size of the organization, strategy is often misunderstood&mdash;and rarely done well. The foundation of a great strategy is leverage: Use your organization&rsquo;s strengths to gain an outsized return. With this in mind, what resources and capabilities can you leverage for maximum gain?

&nbsp;

Establish a meeting rhythm for success

&nbsp;

Download the eBook now and&nbsp;create a business plan with changing business scenerios.&nbsp;

Introduction Many small business owners create a business plan as part of their overall launch. However, with the day-to-day of running the business, a lot of time goes by before you refer back to that plan—if at all. Much can happen in the business during those years: priorities may have shifted, new products were added, and key staff came onboard or moved on. Suddenly, you realize that your business has changed course, but your long-range plans aren’t updated to reflect the new direction. Business strategy means having a long-range plan and m

Consumers behavior and purchasing habits are changing and many of these new ways will remain post-pandemic. Here's a 2020 Small Business Strategic Planning Kit that will help you with planning process and set milestones for success.

Strategic Planning for Small Businesses