Search
Related Links

 

 

Informative Articles

Building Win-Win Alliances
Many professionals suspect there must be a more efficient way to attract customers. They wonder, "How can I shift from gathering one business card at a time to gathering thousands of customers through one initiative?" Business strategist Debra...

Lone Wolf -- Lead Wolf
Copyright 2005 Rick Johnson Lone Wolf----Lead Wolf “The Evolution of Leadership” Privately held companies range in size form very small “Mom & Pop” operations with revenue as low as $100,000 or less, to huge multi- million dollar...

Managers: Let's Call a Spade a Spade!
Brochures, broadcast plugs and press releases – don’t call them public relations. Call them what they really are, valuable tactical devices which public relations calls upon from time to time to move a message from here to there. Nothing more,...

The 7 Traits of an Exceptional and Successful Entrepreneur
The 7 Traits of an Exceptional & Successful Entrepreneur By Robert Moment © 2004 How often have you either referred to or considered the expression, “Success is a journey and not a Destination?” Probably many times, yet often being in a hurry to...

Tips to maximize the sale of your business
Question: How can I maximize the amount of cash I receive when I sell my business? Answer: Acquire every last after tax dollar and get paid in cash. Also, follow three critical steps before proceeding: 1. Preplan the sale of your business....

 
Surviving Survival

Aren't you tired of sitting around waiting for something to finally happen?

I just got off the phone talking with my friend James. We spoke about how his business was doing, and I asked what he planned on earning this year. His response surprised me:

'Making money's not my focus now. I don't really think this is the right time--I'm planning to just hold on until things get better.'

James is usually pretty optimistic and 'survival' is not part of his normal vocabulary, so I started wondering about others I know: my consulting clients, people who take my DYBO business-doubling e-course, people I meet speaking. One client wrote they had 'survived' last year, but had 'done the unpardonable -- cut marketing.' Another told me, 'Well, we made it. But we cut half our sales force.' And a service provider I know reduced her total payroll from 130 to 75 people in the past six months.

Even though Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan has pronounced the recession over, many businesspeople are taking about one thing only: survival. They are hunkered down trying to weather the storm, but they're doing it at the expense of building their businesses. And I believe many companies are unwittingly sacrificing their future. Here's the typical survival strategy:

* Cut marketing.

* Lay off marginal employees.

* Cut sales travel expenses.

* Lay off good employees.

* Lay off salespeople.

* Fire ineffective management.

* Reduce your prices hoping to attract business.

* Fire effective management.

Hope for anything. Pray for business. Wait for the recession to end.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Of course survival is not all bad--not by a long shot. There's a 'statistic' reputed to come from the US Small Business Administration, which says 9 out of 10 new businesses don't last five years, or something like that. The details vary with the telling but the point is well made--it is hard to keep a business profitable over the long haul, which is why so few of America's largest companies from 75 years ago even exist today.

The good side of survival makes you 'lean and mean,' scavenging the landscape for sharp opportunities and playing for keeps.

But the dark side just ends up like a strategy for playing it safe, putting off decisions and delaying action. Of course, you may still be around when 'things get better, but will you be in a position to take advantage of your opportunities? Perhaps--if you've conserved cash and preserved your ability to generate new business.

But if instead you've so reduced your ability to go after new deals - or if you've let your product languish to the point where it is no longer up to snuff--are you going to be viable? Will you be able to compete? Will you be ready to grow during the next expansion?

Transcending the Survival Mindset

We are entering what may be the greatest business building opportunity of the next decade. While most of your competitors are still in the warm sleep of survival it is time for you to prepare for bold action.

Here are some tips which will help you survive survival and climb back up the ladder of success. Note that this is not a tip list on *how to survive*, you've already done that. This is about transcending survival and thriving again.

First, recognize that your goal of survival is not a real goal--it's a staging zone. A holding pattern. Survival is not something to commit yourself to--a commitment to survival is a commitment to a low level of existence. Think of homeless people who survive by


scrounging dumpsters for food. They survive--but at what level? And for how long?

Your real commitment must be one to prosperity.

Next, recreate your vision of life beyond survival. Okay, you are still in business--congratulations. Pat yourself on the back because many aren't. But despite the SBA statistics, this is not a cause for celebration--not yet, anyway.

Ask yourself--what are you surviving for? What will you do when the survival period is over--when you decide it's okay to start thriving again? What will you accomplish then? What do you want it to look and feel like next year and the year after that? If your vision is simply one of staying in business, you really should think twice about why you do all that hard work.

Once you have a clear picture of where you are going--the most important thing is to increase your level of action. You may have slowed down during this survival period - making fewer sales calls, reducing your marketing and promotional efforts, retarding product development.

Now it's time rev up the engines and get moving again. How much effort does your business plan call for? What does your strategic plan say?

If you don't know, or if those plans are no longer relevant, you need to freshen the business plan or create a new strategic plan. It doesn't have to be a perfect plan, but don't just lurch into action. Don't move forward without a plan!

Detail the measures of activity and performance for your company. In my business these include leads generated, sales conversations, relationship and networking conversations, articles written and published, new customers signed, consulting contracts, course registrants, web hits, press releases sent, press mentions, radio interviews, key notes and speaking engagements, and of course, revenues, profits, and cash-in-bank.

Your measures may be different but the process is the same:

1. Make a list of each key measure. These will include both what I call results goals and activity goals.

2. Establish a performance goal for each, by week, month or quarter--whatever is most appropriate. Then, up the ante--you've most likely slowed down and the whole point here is to increase your activity. So take whatever your goal is for these items and stretch it. Reawaken the action habit.

3. Set up a system for measuring and reporting on each of these keys, and then try to get rid any shortfalls.

4. If your need to spend is still greater than the cash coming in, cut back everything that is not revenue related, but don't hurt your current--or future--revenue streams. Look for ways to reduce overhead--but not sales and marketing expenses.

Here's a special word about marketing: Most likely you have cut back. Mistakenly, this is often the first area cut when people think their survival is threatened. Now is the time to bump it back up. If you don't have cash available there are a whole host of guerilla marketing strategies which call for limited spending.

Finally, get a coach or a mentor. Get someone to be an unbiased and insightful sounding board, someone who can both critique your plans and present objective counsel. Now--envision your next growth spurt. Envision your business expanding profitably. Figure out what it's going to take, and get busy again.

(c) Paul Lemberg. All rights reserved

About the author:

Paul Lemberg is the president of Quantum Growth Coaching, the world's only fully systemized business coaching program guaranteed to help entrepreneurs rapidly create More Profits and More Life™. http://www.fastergrowthnow.com

 

Strategic Planning (in nonprofit or for-profit organizations)
Adapted from the Field Guide to Nonprofit Strategic Planning and Facilitation. ... First, a Point About For-Profit and Nonprofit Strategic Planning ...
www.managementhelp.org
 
Basic Description of Strategic Planning (including key terms to know)
Adapted from the Field Guide to Nonprofit Strategic Planning and Facilitation. ... Strategic planning often includes use of several key terms. ...
www.managementhelp.org
 
Strategic Planning, Strategic Plan, Business Strategy, Strategic ...
Strategic planning advice with free strategic planner & sample strategic plan covering mission statement, SWOT analysis with business plan software for cash ...
www.planware.org
 
Strategic Planning
FAQs regarding strategic planning - geared primarily toward non-profit organizations but with enough detail and general information to provide useful ...
www.allianceonline.org
 
Frequently Asked Questions
Strategic Planning · Fundraising · Financial Management · Risk Management · Credit Card Acceptance. The FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) listed on this ...
www.allianceonline.org
 
Strategic planning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Strategic planning involves defining objectives and developing ... Strategic planning uses "the big picture" to pursue large scale, long term objectives. ...
en.wikipedia.org
 
08/26/96 STRATEGIC PLANNING
You guessed it: strategic planning. Suddenly, the idea of rising above the ... But if strategic planning is back with a vengeance, it's also back with a ...
www.businessweek.com
 
Dr. Strategy - Dr. Pete Johnson, Keynote Speaker, Marketing ...
StrategicPlanning.com “Turning Change Into A Competitive Advantage”. Dr. Pete's Preview Video Click Here. Take-Away Value Sample Program Handouts ...
strategicplanning.com
 
Strategic Planning Society: Strategy Development and Implementation
Strategic Planning Society: Strategy Development and Implementation.
www.sps.org.uk
 
Guide 7
Strategic Planning in Smaller Nonprofit Organizations ... In short, as a result of a strategic planning process, an organization will have a clearer idea of ...
www.wmich.edu
 
STRATEGIC PLANNING MANUAL
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
Your browser may not have a PDF reader available. Google recommends visiting our text version of this document.
 
BPubs.com: Strategic Planning & Business Planning Articles
Business Publications related to Corporate Strategic Planning.
www.bpubs.com
 
Strategic Planning Tools
Strategic Planning is a method for positioning an organization to take ... A strategic planning process incorporates an in-depth planning model that takes ...
www.nsba.org
 
Center for Simplified Strategic Planning, Inc.
The Center for Simplified Strategic Planning offers training, seminars, consulting, speakers, workshops, a book and a newsletter on strategic management for ...
www.cssp.com
 
LEADERSHIP: Strategic Planning and Strategic Management
Introduction: Is strategic planning really worth it? ... The purpose of strategic planning is to encourage thinking about your organization's "big ...
vskn.ca
 
The CEO Refresher Archives - Strategic Planning
When done right, the integrated strategic planning process can take a ... Strategic Planning and Project Management: The Key to Successful Implementation ...
www.refresher.com
 
HEFCE : Publications : 2000 : 00/24 - Strategic planning in higher ...
This guide reviews good practice in strategic planning in higher education (HE). It originated in a consultation exercise which we held in 1998 to review ...
www.hefce.ac.uk
 
The Association for Strategic Planning
The Association for Strategic Planning (ASP), is a non-profit professional society whose mission is to enable people and organizations to succeed through ...
www.strategyplus.org
 
Amazon.com: Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations: A ...
Amazon.com: Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations: A Practical Guide and Workbook: Books: Michael Allison,Jude Kaye by Michael Allison,Jude Kaye.
www.amazon.com
 
Amazon.com: Simplified Strategic Planning: A No-Nonsense Guide for ...
Amazon.com: Simplified Strategic Planning: A No-Nonsense Guide for Busy People Who Want Results Fast!: Books: Robert W. Bradford,Robert W. Bradford,J. Peter ...
www.amazon.com
 
 

 

Content Menu

  • 10 lessons for every shoestring entrepreneur

  • 10 reasons why time and attendance systems are not just substitutes for clock cards

  • 10 tips for managing your time

  • 10 ways to help you plan your home office for productivity and comfort

  • 2005 economic update industry specific 2005 total compensation budget predictions

  • 5 steps to powerful negotiating feature article

  • 5 warning signals your business might have a cash flow problem

  • 6 steps to laying out your competitive strategy

  • 7 essential elements of leading change

  • 8 reasons the holidays are a great time to build your business

  • achieving competitive advantage through collaboration with key customers and suppliers

  • affluent market may disappoint retailers by spending less for december holiday gifts

  • affluent men spend twice as much on holiday gifts for their spouse as women do

  • affluent name recipients of december holiday gifts in new survey

  • affluent turn cautious in outlook for personal spending and the economy

  • attract and retain top talent

  • a cyber staffing solution for small businesses

  • a guide to performance management

  • a real business coach

  • a renewed view of the modern business culture

  • a strategy for success

  • balanced scorecard strategic planning

  • barriers to effective planning

  • being a home based business owner whats not to love

  • being stressed out may not be all that bad

  • best practice benchmarking the path to excellence

  • blueprint for change

  • book summary mind your own business

  • bottleneck oriented business management

  • bridge loans everything you wanted to know

  • building win win alliances

  • build winning alliances

  • business 101 passion before planning

  • business growth through strategic merger and acquisition

  • business intelligence advancements transform corporate decision making

  • business or leisure make sure you get the best stay

  • business planning 101

  • business planning myopia

  • business plans what consultants dont tell you

  • business plan basics

  • business process automation bpa

  • buying a business advice for the first time buyer investor

  • buy now retire later an investment in your dreams

  • cash flow profits and the cash conversion cycle

  • change management can lead to rigidity and resistance to change

  • change may be your ace in the hole

  • chasm of change restructuring the goliath of change

  • choking on itil a menu for success

  • client service as a competitive advantage

  • coaching an adapting tool for attaining fulfillment in the global economy

  • coaching for lawyers 10 ways a lawyer can benefit from working with a professional coach

  • collaboration not competition

  • common sources of financing for small business

  • comparing corporate and personal goal attainment programs that have developed over thousands of years with modern day programs

  • compensation committee 101 what does it do

  • competitive marketing analysis

  • creating a business strategy

  • creating a vision

  • cultivating your pathway to success dont leave your companys future to chance

  • dealing with anger

  • developing your mission

  • develop a successful business foundation second to none

  • discover the coach within you

  • does your culture support or sabotage your strategy

  • dont allow yourself to get burned

  • embrace diversity to build effective teams

  • entrepreneur to employer considerations

  • famous business strategies

  • fatal mistakes to avoid when writing a business plan

  • finding and keeping good people

  • five strategies to strengthen your companys financial management

  • focus on results not money

  • four reasons why small businesses succeed or fail

  • franchises exit strategies

  • franchises whats the exit strategy

  • generating publicity will the media be interested in my product business

  • getting and keeping good people

  • getting together the importance of business relationships

  • have you ever thought of joining or forming a consortium

  • help wanted new business leadership required to jumpstart the american economy

  • home business grants

  • how effective is your leadership style

  • how joint ventures can catapult you to success

  • how not to let powerpoint kill your presentation

  • how to accelerate the return on investment roi of your senior talent

  • how to create a great mentoring relationship

  • how to develop a successful board of advisors and why you should

  • how to develop multiple streams of 100 000 home business income

  • how to easily accelerate your profits

  • how to use graphs and charts in your business plan

  • hr off shoring outsourcing a buyers market

  • human resource communication pays off

  • ideas are free a book summary

  • identifying candidates for leadership

  • if one does not do any planning one is planning to fail

  • improve profitable roe with retention

  • index

  • investing in the czech republic outside of prague part 1 brno property

  • investments short term or long term

  • isg expands to include denovo bank consulting

  • its spring time for a compensation program tune up

  • its time to get all strategic small business marketing stategy

  • i wanna hold your hand first time homebuyers

  • i want to get a mortgage fast online

  • job search lessons from the super bowl

  • job talk the heart of productivity

  • leadership and customer service is there a link

  • leadership development turn on your employees

  • leading with power and authority energize others with deep green leadership

  • learn to manage your projects with project management training software

  • living life in a time starved world

  • lone wolf lead wolf

  • make your mark how to attract clients and grow your business

  • making the most of your year

  • making your item get the best bid on e bay

  • management span of control and the power of models

  • managers have you been shortchanged

  • managers lets call a spade a spade

  • managers should your pr budget stress tactics or strategy

  • managers you know your job but what about public relations

  • managing the human resource project

  • managing transformational change within the public sector

  • managing with vision

  • marketing planning and control systems from agency style to nerve center

  • maybe you should worry about your pr

  • meetings bloody meetings

  • merger and acquisition an engine for corporate growth

  • millionaires name top choices for holiday gift wish list

  • mission and vision statements foundational to successful change

  • new years resolutions for your business

  • non profits need new strategies to weather budget crisis

  • not another ice breaker team building with a purpose

  • oe consultants is there a future for them

  • operational excellence for wholesale distributors

  • performance measures a key to organizational success

  • planning to make a decision

  • plan for business success 6 reasons to succession plan

  • practice on purpose working on your business

  • pragmatic consulting from the clients perspective

  • preparing to be an entrepreneur

  • printing offline

  • professionalizing the family business

  • professional intervention in the family business

  • profit the goal and more than margins

  • pr lets dump the smoke and mirrors

  • public relations a natural phenomenon

  • public relations converting the non believers

  • public relations defining your organization from the inside out

  • public relations power tool for the 21st century

  • quality consulting major consumer products company

  • quick books and finances

  • ready fire aim

  • ready setwait

  • renovations and upgrades bring it to the bank part 2

  • resolve to focus on results in 2006 website results that is

  • rotator

  • rules to setting business goals and objectives why and how to be smart

  • secrets to successful publishing

  • selling your business for the best price

  • selling your technology company why earnouts make sense today

  • sell a business 10 steps to maximize selling price

  • setting goals and implementing change

  • setting you sails the mission statement

  • should you write your own business plan

  • six disciplines for excellence

  • small business planning three myths

  • small business q a swot analysis is no magic 8 ball

  • small business q a the business autopsy a fact of life

  • so you dont have a business plan why not

  • starting a small business is just like running the peachtree only tougher

  • starting your business avoiding the me incorporated syndrome

  • start thinking strategically about your business

  • strategic clarity for communication management

  • strategic internet marketing 5 basic keys to online business success

  • strategic organizational learning

  • strategic planning and consulting

  • strategic planning basics

  • strategic planning for salespeople

  • strategic planning steps for optimum business management

  • strategies to time management

  • succeeding as a seller on e bay

  • succession planning problems getting started

  • succession three tips to ease the transition

  • succss tip business plannning 101

  • survival without computers

  • surviving survival

  • swot analysis is no magic 8 ball

  • swot analysis strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats

  • tactical hints for succession planning

  • tales from the corporate frontlines try try again

  • temporary staffing agency how to start

  • ten tips for creating a terrific employee appraisal system

  • ten ways to sharpen your business edge

  • the 7 traits of an exceptional and successful entrepreneur

  • the 7 traits of an exceptional successful entrepreneur

  • the art of succession planning

  • the business autopsy a fact of life

  • the case of the vanishing technology

  • the challenges of human resource management

  • the collapse of enron

  • the crisis of modernity

  • the dos and donts of creating business partnerships

  • the five biggest mistakes an hr professional can make from the clients perspective

  • the inferno of the finance director

  • the magic and mystery of teams

  • the project management mindset

  • the role of the business model and strategy for business

  • the ten pillars of leadership and business development

  • the three factors of leadership motivation

  • thoughtleading the art of separating yourself from the pack

  • three planning myths

  • three steps to give your strategic plan traction

  • time management is a work of art

  • tips to maximize the sale of your business

  • top tips for effective time management

  • to all managers how does add affect your workplace

  • trade show exhibit booth 7 tips to improve yours

  • trade show victory

  • trend setting how office art improves productivity

  • understanding financial statements when approaching lenders

  • useful tips for evaluating your meeting venue options

  • what are we teaching pr students

  • what could macedonia learn from a tiger the asian tigers and the phenomenon of uninterrupted economic growth

  • what if peter drucker were your ceo

  • what is a trainer what is a facilitator

  • what is google adsense

  • what to consider before approaching lenders

  • what your home based business plan can do for you

  • what you must do for one whole day every week for your business

  • when and where the affluent shop for december holiday gifts

  • when tactics are not enough

  • who do you talk to

  • why bother with customer centricity

  • why have a mortgage coach

  • why just the right ppc campaign management brings in lots and lots of cash

  • writing a business plan

  • your 7 minute mba

  • your business or your life why not both

  • your online fortune is just a click away