BUSINESS STRATEGY
Annual Business Planning: A Clear Plan, Budget and Targets for the Year Ahead
Annual plans often get written in a hurry, with a revenue target pulled from last year plus a hopeful percentage. The sales team, the operations head and the accountant each work from different assumptions, and by April the plan is forgotten.
Our annual planning process brings the numbers and the people together. We review last year honestly, set targets that can be traced to actions, build a basic budget, and turn the plan into quarterly priorities your managers sign up to and check every month.
Discuss your business ↗WHAT WE DO
Practical support,
step by step.
- 01Review last year's results against targets and note what was achieved and what was missed
- 02Run a half-day planning workshop with the owner and key managers
- 03Set annual targets for sales, margin, collections and other key measures
- 04Break the sales target down by product, customer group or territory
- 05Build a simple operating budget covering major cost lines, hiring and investments
- 06Identify the three to five strategic initiatives for the year and assign owners
- 07Translate the plan into quarterly goals and monthly checkpoints
- 08List the main risks and what you will do if the plan goes off track
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
Outputs you
can use.
- A written annual business plan with goals and initiatives
- Sales targets broken down by period and by team or product
- A first-year budget and hiring plan
- Quarterly priority sheets for each manager
- A plan review calendar that links to your monthly review meetings
Final deliverables depend on the agreed scope.
WHO THIS IS FOR
Owners and management teams planning the next financial or calendar year, including those who have never made a written plan and those whose plans never get used.
LET’S MOVE YOUR BUSINESS FORWARD
