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Strategy Planning

You and your management team are busy getting the job done. Every day, every week, and every month bring new challenges that must be met. When, though, do you all take time to sit back and consider the long-term course of the company? Do you all share the same vision of the future and where the business is headed? Do you all agree on what the business’s strengths are? What its competitive advantage is? What risks must be mitigated? What opportunities are on the horizon? Do you have long term continual improvement plans?

Regular strategic planning is a powerful tool for any management team. I lead one- and two-day strategy planning sessions for management teams. Each session is unique for that team: based on their desires, the stage of business they’re in, how often they engage in planning.

Some planning tools we may use in your strategic planning session include:

  • Mission and Vision Statements

  • 5-year plan

  • SWOT Analysis

  • Organization Chart Analysis

  • Hiring and Training Plans

  • Continual improvement goals

  • New product lines

  • New verticals

What’s it like to work with me?

First, I will meet with the CEO and we will discuss the agenda and what items you want included. Usually about 4 sessions for a 1 day event and 6 sessions for a two day event. If there are reports needed, I will assign those (finance, marketing, sales, etc.)

I will also reach out to each member of the team for a brief pre-meeting phone call.

You will provide the location and the tools needed (white board, markers, coffee, etc.)

On the day of the event, I will lead the discussion and keep things on track. I recommend you have someone attend who can take good notes, even if you hire a temp. I will also take pictures of the white board, etc., but more notes are best.

If we have a one-day event, usually lunch is brought in and we finish around dinner time. We can add an evening social event for team building if you like.

For a two-day event, we usually go somewhere and stay as a team and have cocktails/dinner the evening between sessions, where informal talk can be worth gold. The next day, we finish up at lunchtime or have lunch brought in again and finish in the early afternoon. I find people are too wiped out to go two full days.

After the event I will send my pictures of the boards and my brief synopsis of discussions to supplement the notes your team made.

How often should we do this?

Once a year is the minimum recommended time for strategic planning. Any more than once per quarter is too much. I recommend a two-day session once a year, or 2 or 3 one-day sessions every 6 or 4 months. We can also do half day sessions if you just want to set goals and follow up on goals without more.

Costs:

  • Half day event: $1,500

  • 1 day event: $2,500

  • 2 day event: $4,000

Repeat customers get a 20% discount on all sessions.

Half day sessions must be drivable from Greenville.

Travel costs paid or reimbursed by you (mileage or airfare, lodging (if 2 days or outside Greenville) and meals eaten together). If you’re outside Greenville, I will normally arrive the afternoon before the event and spend the night in your city to be ready first thing in the morning.