As one year draws to a close and the next one pokes its head around the Christmas tree, many companies begin the annual process of reviewing their business strategy and making a plan for the year ahead. After all, companies evolve with each passing year, so it makes sense that your business goals and strategy should evolve, too.

While this may sound like it’s adding another task to the to-do list at an already busy time of year, the truth is strategic planning doesn’t have to be complex or time-consuming. Some of the companies we work with have their strategy mapped out on one sheet of A4 – in fact, this one-page approach is so effective because it presents a visual reminder of the business’s key goals in a way that everyone in the company can understand.

But good business planning isn’t just about the ‘planning’ bit. It’s about ‘doing’, or turning that plan into action. In practice, this means:

• Setting measurable milestones so that you can assess whether you’re on track to achieve your goals.
• Involving team members in the plan and making them accountable for delivering certain steps.
• Reviewing your plan each quarter to see what’s going well and what isn’t – and then adjusting the plan in line with what you learn.

At OCTOPUS, we work with businesses on both the ‘planning’ and the ‘doing’. Our practical approach breaks down into three stages, or what we like to call ‘the three Ds’:

Define. We work with you to identify your top business priorities for 2019.
Drive. Based on your strategic priorities, we create a clear, achievable marketing plan to propel your business forward.
Deliver. Next comes the really fun part: achieving your business goals through effective, ongoing marketing solutions.

Interestingly, we’ve found this process also helps to revitalise teams at the start of a new year and promote renewed focus. In other words, by taking a step back and looking at the overall direction of the business, you get a welcome reminder of why the business exists. It’s a bit like a shot of adrenaline or a double espresso – injecting a little extra energy and passion for the year ahead.

Drop us a line to see how OCTOPUS can help define, drive and deliver your business goals – and let’s get your 2019 off to a flying start.