popsickle.net

How do you do to assess your business on a regular basis? Secondly, do you really try to look from outside, objectively, and try to improve?
The reality is that smaller businesses (SBE) do not assess their business on a regular basis and if they do are all the things they are doing well and pat on the back then move on. Not very smart is it? I mean, can be motivating and allows you to check that the box actually did, but ends up not even be worth your time.
That’s why most of us do not, because we believe it is a waste? Maybe, but why feel that way is that we have a system. I want to share a system today that has existed since the 1960′s and was first created by Albert Humphrey who led the convention in the 60 and 70 years at Stanford University for the Fortune 500. This is a very simple system that can be used in a strategic planning session a day or a five-day retreat.
WARNING: Do not start this process until you have a clear vision of what your business wants to see in the next 1 to 3 years.
You must have this vision in order to answer questions in a truly meaningful. You need to be focused on the desired result.
The SWOT process
SWOT stands for: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. This is an inside-out analysis of your business. By analyzing these four strategic areas of your business that you can design, decide and implement effective plans immediately.
STRENGTHS: What are the strengths of your organization? It is necessary to ask questions such as:
• What advantages does your organization?
• What are your core competencies?
• What is a fact, why do it better than anyone?
• What unique resources or lower cost can use that others can not?
• What do people in your market that are your strengths?
• What factors make “getting the sale”?
• What is the proposition unique selling your organization?
• What is the strength of its product or services?
• What are the strengths of your people?
WEAKNESSES: What are your biggest areas of improvement (AFIS)? The questions you need to do:
• What could be improved?
• What should not you focus on?
• What are the people in your market likely to see as a weakness?
• What factors are lost sales?
• How do you feel your customers are your greatest IFA?
• If money and time were not a problem, what would the area of ​​your business that is better?
OPPORTUNITIES: What can seize this moment to take it to the next level? The question we should ask:
• What opportunities exist in the market today?
• What interesting trends to know?
• What are the changes in technology that affect your business?
• Are there changes in government policies that affect your industry?
• How the current economic climate can benefit your business?
• What changes in social patterns, population profiles and lifestyles of consumers new opportunities for your product or service?
• What has happened locally that enable new opportunities?
THREATS: What needs to be concerned about now or in the future? The questions that are most important to this area of ​​analysis are:
• What obstacles do you face?
• What are your competitors doing?
• Are the quality standards or specifications for your job, products or services?
• Is changing technology threatening its position?
• What cash flow or debt issues do you have?
• Could any of your weaknesses seriously threaten your business?
• What are the “big”, making that may affect your business?
• Are there new competitors?
If you have been able to answer these questions now have to put the plan together on how to make it happen. This is the part of strategic planning. That the current strategic planning can be very successful because it has great raw material to work. If not ask the right questions that do not have good information to draw from. If you do not have a good feed, planning will only be at surface level. There is no depth. The depth is understanding and is what will make your business thrive in all others.
As SBE we have to evaluate, analyze, organize, plan and most importantly, action. This system of 50 years of age, can help you establish your business on track for success you want. Go forth and prosper.