With the New Year now upon us – something we have all been looking forward to – now is the time to look back and look forward to ensuring a successful twelve months ahead. Carve out some time now to work on strategic planning, a vision for the near future and a roadmap for what you hope to achieve in 2021. Take either a formal or casual approach to set your course for a successful year.
Review 2020 with all of its ups and downs to determine your future goals during this process. Come up with benchmarks to help you measure your progress. Specifics are your friend when it comes to setting long-term goals.
Look back over 2020 first to review every aspect of your organization, from marketing to budgeting and programs, assess what worked and what did not. Also, look at your strategic plan for 2020 and incorporate some of it into your new plan. Use data on hand to find realistic steps forward.
Digging into the data from the past year is a tool to help you imagine your company’s future. Identify any gaps you find or additions needed, including projects, areas of service and new objectives. How can you improve, support and expand existing programs? Determine how you can embody your mission statement in the coming year.
Think in measured terms about how you will achieve each objective, being very specific. This will allow you to assess how close you are to achieving your desired outcomes as the year progresses.
Set timelines for achieving your goals, either by a specific date, by quarter or by month.
Take stock of where your company currently stands before setting your goals. Answer these questions: What business goals do you have for 2021? How is your business performing today? What is the best way to meet your goals?
Spell it out — the first step in strategic planning is to determine where you are headed. Be as specific as possible. For example, how much do you want to increase sales? How will you accomplish that?
Take stock in your vision for the company, your mission and your values. What do you see when you look at the future? Your mission is the specifics you would like to accomplish, whether that is installing 30 more roofs in the next 12 months or winning 15 new bids. Your personal values set the way you run your company, how you treat your employees and the experience you give your customers.
Your strategic plan will affect everything in your business, from the services you offer to how many new employees you will hire.
■ Perform a reality check. Once you have analyzed where you want to be, figure out where you stand now and what it will take to reach your goals. Success can mean many things, so determine what it means for you.
■ Think past the money. How will you get involved in your community? How will you improve your business, so it is more environmentally friendly? What kind of programs do you have in place to help your employees grow professionally?
■ Determine your focus. Once you have analyzed where you are, it is time to figure out how to get to where you want to be. Narrow the focus by choosing your priorities and order in which to proceed. Assess your resources and capabilities to target and plan. Work toward your strengths, choosing what you will focus on first.
■ Do not be afraid to reject what you do not think will work. Keep your company’s vision and purpose in mind as you come up with ideas. Shelve the ideas for which you do not have the resources. Zero in on making sure you have the right people, facilities, money and time to implement your strategies. Do not plan what you know you cannot accomplish—plan for the accomplishments.
Do not be afraid to follow through on ambitious plans. Strategize on how to get there, if not now, then in the future. Focus on growing your business, improving the services and products you offer and improving how you run your business.
■ Implement your strategy. Now, for the big challenge– implementing your strategic plan. Execute your ideas making changes as needed and monitor their effects. Determine when and how you will address each part of your plan. It is helpful to delegate; assign responsibilities, deadlines, activities and budgets.
■ It is an ongoing process. Strategic planning is not a one-and-done. Evaluate how the plan is working. Moving forward, do not be afraid to shift directions if something is not working out. Do not be afraid to change up the way you operate if you deem that necessary.
Your strategic plan is an exercise that can benefit you throughout the year. Make it a priority by keeping it active during office meetings and by sticking with calendar goals. Keep your objectives at the forefront.
John Kenney has over 45 years of experience in the roofing industry. He started his career by working as a roofing apprentice at a family business in the Northeast and worked his way up to operating multiple Top 100 Roofing Contractors. As Chief Operating
Officer, John is intimately familiar with all aspects of roofing production, estimating and operations. During his tenure in the industry, John ran business units associated with delivering excellent workmanship and unparalleled customer service while ensuring his company’s strong net profits before joining Cotney Consulting Group. If you would like any further information on this or another subject, you can contact John at jkenney@cotneyconsulting.com.
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