Do you hear the familiar sound of overwhelm that is a constant companion to entrepreneurs? It swirls around, creating this horrible gulping noise as it drains growth out of our business. And, as one of my smart, gifted clients so aptly pointed out, a swirl always goes down – never up.

Swirling happens when entrepreneurs grow and run their businesses – randomly. With no clear goal or plan in place, priceless resources get whirled down the drain. Sound familiar? Want to stop the swirl?

An ongoing business planning process helps you plan for your business growth – rather than hope for business growth. Here are five steps to a monthly planning process for business growth, including discovery questions to lead you to some vital conclusions:

1. Goal. The best place to start is to know your goal. Ask this simple question: What is/are my goal(s) for the month?

Be sure to align your monthly goal with your larger strategic business goals. 

2. Resources. Make sure you have the time, money, people, knowledge, & skill set to make your goals a reality. Ask yourself: What resources are available this month to budget toward my goals?

3. Commitment. Like most entrepreneurs, you likely make commitments months in advance. Be sure to consider these when planning for business growth. To ensure the necessary resources to honor previous and current commitments, these are questions to raise, such as: What promises have been made for this month? What resources need to be allocated to these obligations? What commitments no longer align with my goals and need to be renegotiated?

4. Plan. You’ve heard it said, “People don’t plan to fail. They fail to plan”. Planning for business growth is essential for your business. These questions unearth the strategic actions needed to achieve your goals: What actionable items make my goal a reality? What resources are needed to implement my plan?Are there sufficient resources to put my plan into operation? If not, what needs to be adjusted and/or scaled to align my resources with my plan and goals? What plan ensures goal achievement this month?

5. Challenges. No business is without its occasional problem.  And, who would think to include challenges or difficulties in your business growth planning? You would! When integrated with business growth planning, their impact on your business is reduced. Use these questions to uncover potential “flies gumming up the works: “What challenges do I anticipate? What can go wrong? What can minimize their occurrence and/or impact on my goals?

An active, ongoing business planning process is essential to stay focused on your goals in this “distraction economy.” Monthly planning for business growth guarantees your business continues to move forward. Make it a regular event in your calendar, knowing this is a critical piece of your ongoing business planning process.

Planning – like focus – is a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets.

Small business entrepreneurs are familiar with start-up planning, exit strategy planning, and strategic planning. And entrepreneurs who excel at planning often find themselves victims of their planning process. As planning pays off and business grows, many entrepreneurs ditch the planning process that starts their business growth.

The Business Planning Dilemma

Absent an ongoing, active planning process, it’s easy to become disorganized and unfocused. Distractions, interruptions, and unplanned requests of others create competing priorities for your time. Sadly, this misaligned approach leaves the most critical business growth activities unfinished.

Your business gets stuck in neutral while precious time is spent on lesser-valued activities. Even though you’re getting things done, you want to ensure you’re doing the right things to ensure your small business growth. Are you ready to shift gears?

The Importance of Planning

To succeed in an “interruption economy,” an active, ongoing planning process is essential for small businesses. Active ongoing planning is the kind that allows you to focus on the critical activities that move your business forward.

An ongoing planning process is known to save time, reduce stress, incite happiness, and spark greater satisfaction. Plus, you’ll worry less about having time to address critical business growth initiatives.

Spoiler alert! Discipline and leadership are required to implement!

Frequency of Planning

An active, ongoing planning process consists of five (5) phases:

1. Annual Strategic Planning
2. Quarterly Planning
3. Monthly Planning
4. Weekly Planning
5. Daily Planning

Planning is the most important activity for your enterprise. It keeps your focus razor-sharp. Plus, it helps to use your time wisely to complete the initiatives that move your business forward.