How business owners can succeed with the challenge of planning in uncertain times

As COVID continues to play havoc with our ability to plan effectively, the reality is that actually what we need to be focusing on is speeding up our ability to build business plans, execute them, react to results and, if needs be, repeat this cycle much more frequently than we may have been used to doing historically.  This can be exhausting (and frustrating) especially when trying to do it whilst doing an increasingly intense day job.  Planning can be an abstract and “difficult to get down to” task at the best of times, but our conclusions from working with business owners/leaders is that you can do it quickly and efficiently if you have the right mindset and tools to work with.

5 hot tips to help you with your business planning

Keep things simple 

Concentrate on “plans on a page”, not “war and peace”. Often “just starting to write” can be the most effective way to reaffirm where you are trying to get to, how this links to your longer terms plans and what this means your top priorities need to be.

Get your “product strategy” front and centre!

Now, more than ever, understanding which of your offerings are likely to get best results is key.  Balance newer ideas with things you know you can rely on build line by line plans around each element.

Get quicker at writing simple financial business plans

Use simple templates to give short and longer term views on where things are heading.

Be simplistic about how you use your team; right now everyone needs to pull together and find their role.

As you study your evolving product strategy think about whether you have all the right people for the direction of travel you need to pursue.

Be rigorous

Make lists that track the tactical actions that will make your strategy come true; hold people to account including yourself; track KPIs (the right KPIs) and be agile when things aren’t working.

8 simple 1-page tools to plan your business strategy quickly

At Firestarter, we have 8 great tools to help business owners speed through the preparation for 2021 and have a repeatable method going forwards.

We can fast track you though these on our practical business planning course.

This includes 5 modules (90 mins) over 5 weeks (or 5 days in December if you opt for our intensive bootcamp programme) plus 2 x 1 hour 1:1s.  Lots of attendees use this as not only a learning opportunity but also as the catalyst to “get the plans done”.  Groups are 4 to 6 people so the session is interactive and informal.

Watch our short video to find out more:

These are interactive sessions that business leaders like you really ought be doing.

For a limited time we have 3 great offers:

• COVID Special Price – £495 + VAT (usually £975 +VAT) for January Courses
• COVID Special Price – £495 + VAT (usually £975 +VAT) for December Boot Camp Courses
• Spread payments for both offers over three months for £168 + VAT per month

These offers currently run for our January 2021 courses (and the December 5 Day Boot Camp).  You need to pre-register in December 2020 to ensure you secure these discounted prices.

Pre-register now for 50% discount opportunity on our most popular courses. Pay in manageable instalments.