“Just Do It” was a wonderful marketing/branding slogan for Nike, but it may not be the best business strategy for your company. If you’re really trying to grow your business and achieve new levels of success you have to have a good idea of where you’re going and how you plan to get there. When “Just Wing It” doesn’t work anymore you need a solid strategy.
Even if you have a clearly defined and articulated vision for your company—and very specific business goals, that’s not enough. You also need to have a solid strategy for achieving that vision and those goals. It’s great to say that you’re going to increase sales by 20 percent; that you’re going to improve profitability by 10 percent; and that you’re going to double your market share. But how are you going to do it?
Let me present a word of warning here: Creating a strategy (and the execution of that strategy) is where the rubber really meets the road when it comes to business growth. Good strategy outlines the specific steps you need to take to get where you want to go. Solid strategy will show you what you have to do (effort), it will show you what that’s going to cost (cash), and it will probably show you what you have to change about the way you do business (transformation) if you want to achieve your goals.
Taking the time to create a solid strategy will show you what you need to invest in time, education, personnel, infrastructure, and systems. It’s the process you go through to take your big ideas and turn them into reality. It’s a time for asking (and answering) some hard questions about your business. But if you don’t create a clear road map that shows how you plan to go from where you are to where you want to be—you’ll never get there.
Lots of companies have great ideas—or what they think are great ideas. Without a clear strategy, those ideas remain simply ideas. Is it hard work? Yes. Will your strategy change over time? Probably. Will it be worth the effort? It will if you really want to grow your company and separate yourself from your competitors.
When “Just Wing It” just doesn’t work anymore, get someone to help you create a solid strategy that will take you where you want to go.
Need help growing your business? With over 35 years of experience and thousands of companies assisted, Chuck Kocher and The Transformation Company can help you scale your business into a truly exceptional business capable of high growth strategies. Businesses are always changing, don’t let yours be left behind. Stand out with our business and executive leadership programs – designed to challenge and improve your business. Your business will thank you for it. Contact me today for a free consultation! 719-339-9505