How to Facilitate a Strategy Meeting

According to a past Fortune
cover story, 86% of business owners and managers spend less than one hour per
month discussing strategy. Not
surprisingly, this same article also reported that nine out of ten
organizations fail to implement their strategic plan. As you’ve probably
noticed from our previous columns, we’re big proponents of regular strategy
meetings. Quarterly and, in particular, monthly […]

Action without planning is the cause of every failure.

Successful people don’t try to do everything. They learn to
focus on the most important tasks and make sure they get done,
Brain Tracy, world-renowned time management expert reminds us
of that. His best-selling book Eat That Frog pays homage
to that old saying that if the first thing you do each morning
is to eat a live frog, you’ll […]

Strategic Plan Examples

Every now and then we need a visual to inspire the planning process. We have recently posted some strategic plan examples on our website. Hope this inspires your next planning session!
View strategic plan examples.

Benchmarking your place in the pack

Benchmarks are surveys and assessments that help determine how well your company performs compared to other companies in your industry or business size. Below are just a handful of benchmarking tools available:
BizStats: Visit www.bizstats.com for instant access to useful financial ratios, business statistics, and benchmarks. Biz Stats has effective and understandable analysis of businesses and […]

Identifying your strengths and weaknesses

Previously in this column, I discussed the first two
steps in the strategic planning process – “Getting ready and organized, and
Articulating your mission and vision”. What follows next in that process is “Reviewing your strategic position”.
You may already be familiar with the trusted business
planning tool called the SWOT, but just in case, let me quickly review. SWOT […]

See Your Business Through a Customer’s Eyes

Original article featuring Erica Olsen: http://www.mastercard.com/us/business/en/smallbiz/articles/archive/0205Customer.html
Considering the time and effort you invest in
your business, it may be hard to stand back and see your company from a
different perspective. Discover strategies that will help you to
understand how customers experience your business.
By Tara Remiasz
Imagine you’re traveling for business. After your flight takes off
and you settle into […]

Your Strategic Planning Process Checklist

The strategic planning process is a continuous process. It’s easy to get lost in that process in the midst of everyday operations. Here is an easy to follow Strategic Planning Process Checklist to keep you and your team on track.
1. Get ready and organized: Identify specific issues and choices the process should address.

Determine organizational readiness
Create […]

Is Your Strategy Lacking Inspiration?

Need a little inspiration to kick off your strategic planning? This is
just the book for you. Inspired Strategy quickly takes you through the
strategic planning process from a inspirational perspective, not the
usual business speak.
Sign up for Strategy Check, our bi-monthly newsletter, to download Inspired Strategy and other white papers from M3 Planning for free.
Click here to […]

Strategic Planning For Dummies in the News

KTVN Channel 2, Reno Features our very own Erica Olsen!Click here to read original story
It’s never too early to learn how to start your own business. A book
called “Strategic Planning for Dummies” is out and the author was in
Reno today, signing books at Barnes and Noble. Money from the book
sales go to an entrepreneurship program […]

The Tools: Smart Stuff

Erica Olsen’s strategic planning savvy led to authoring a book under the famous Dummies brand.

Story by: Linda Fine Photography by Alicia SantistevanThe Business Report of Northern Nevadahttp://www.nevadabusinessreport.com/stories/html/2006/11/27/190.php
While not a household phrase to be sure,
strategic planning is certainly an important concept in the world of
business, and one woefully neglected by most entrepreneurs.
“You
wouldn’t go on a […]