Does planning really matter?

A client recently opened a new coffee shop. Based on his research, he expected sales turnover of $25,000 per week. He based his plans on that, organised his staffing levels and made sure he’d purchased enough supplies to handle that level of sales.

But his store was a phenomenal success! In his first 6 weeks of trading, he was hitting sales of $40,000 per week, 60% more than budget!

So, clearly the original plan went out the window. He needed extra staff and extra supplies fast! As he says, it all went a bit crazy, getting extra people, training them on the fly, buying extra supplies, working longer hours.  

But what about the plan? He says, “At least I had my plan, I knew what areas I needed to adjust. Even though it was way out, it gave me a sense of control.”

Which leads to the Top 5 Reasons to Plan:

1.  To set your targets

• We all work better when we’re chasing a target. A plan gives us something to focus on, to see how we’re going and where we need to adjust

2.  To know what resources you’ll need

• You’ll know in advance what you’ll need and when you’ll need them

3. To know which strategies to pursue

• Which are the best ones to help you achieve your targets. And if they don’t seem to be working you can make changes as needed

4. To plan your activities in a structured way

• Rather than doing things in a random haphazard way, a plan lets you map out the activities you need to take and when you should take them

5. It gives you a sense of control

• We all work better when we have a sense of control. Even when things turn out differently, you can see where to make adjustments to turn things around

None of us can predict the future, but planning gives us a better chance of defining the path we’ll take. It keeps our mind focused on where we want to go and the steps we need to get there.

If you’re interested in putting your plan together for 2017 register for our upcoming Planning Workshops - Sydney Jan 30, Melbourne Jan 31 https://lnkd.in/gjWtZ74

Peter Knight