Strategic Planning in Today's Rapidly Changing World

Today I'm thinking about meaningful strategic planning and business planning in a world that is rapidly changing. As a marketing and branding strategist, I've always preached about having:
- goals and measurable objectives;
- clear strategies to achieve those objectives;
- a focused target market that is well understood;
- rational and emotional reasons to believe and engage in your brand;
- a strong understanding of the organization, competitors and environment; and,
- a tactical plan that links back to the objectives.

I think these fundamental still hold true. So, what has changed?

What has changed is the frequency that an organization needs to examine and perhaps tweak its plans. A business plan or marketing plan should be in arms reach, not collecting dust on the shelf. How often do you reference your plans? How often do you ask, is this still relevant and true?

In particular, the SWOT analysis and PEST analysis should be reviewed and updated every 6 months. Don't assume that everything is the same. Our environment changes rapidly and an organization needs to be slightly ahead of the curve. How often do you survey the environmental landscape? How much has changed since you last took a close look?

Plans are not static. They evolve and improve. Yes, the process of planning is still crucial because it makes you stop, listen, evaluate and make strategic decisions with a specific purpose in mind.

Not many people love to plan. Or, they get stuck in the process of planning and never move forward. For the entrepreneur or small organization, my suggestion, is once a quarter dedicate 1 day (8 hours) to reviewing your plans, surveying the broader market and making modifications.

Of course, you should be listening and having an ongoing dialogue with your customers almost daily. (Hopefully you're using social media and web 2.0 tools.) As you encounter interesting ideas and opportunities. Jot them down. If they're mid-to-long term then add them to your plans quarterly. If it's a short term opportunity, pull out your plan briefly, ask yourself if it is inline with the objectives and strategies - if yes. Do it.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on how you think business planning has changed and how your organization has adapted.