Developing An Action Plan

For each element of your action plan you need to state what the action is, who will take charge of delivering it and by when it will be delivered.

For each component of your action plan, you will need to consider the following:

• Objectives - Setting objectives is the focal point of your action plan. Your objectives are your desired outcomes for a particular component of your business. In simple terms, your objectives are what you want to achieve and your strategy is your plan to help you to achieve it.
  
  Your objectives need to be specific and goal oriented. You need to have definite goals and achievements in mind when developing your objectives. At the end of the day, you should be able to measure your results in tangible terms. Your objectives may be revenue based, financial targets, product based or an increased number of clients.
  
  
• Actions - Your actions should be set using your objectives as your guiding star. Your objectives will highlight your desired outcomes and each individual action should play a part towards achieving your desired objectives or goals.
  
  Your actions will need to be broken down into very specific steps. Do not make any one action too confusing or convoluted. Simplicity works best. Yet, at the same time your actions need to be specific. Your actions need to have a clearly defined outcome for each action. Your actions should include specific goals and financial targets with actual numbers calculated and included.
  
  
• Timeframes - While setting the objective and defining the actions are important, they become meaningless without a specific timeframe to guide the process. If an objective is to be achieved, then a clear timeframe for that achievement needs to be calculated, written in your plan and shared with your staff.
  
  Timeframes should not be vague and include phrases like "in six months time". Time frames should include specific months and years.
  
  
• Responsibilities - By allocating certain actions to individual staff, you make them accountable for your business success, with regard to specific projects or actions. While each project may have a team manager, individual staff may assume responsibility for individual action items.
  
  Empower your staff to own their actions and own the results. Provide them with all the information and support they require to meet their objectives and satisfactorily complete their actions, but make them accountable for the results.
  
  

If your action plan is shared among your staff, then it will be evident who your hard-working and achieving staff truly are. Those who consistently fail to perform will have no hiding place. The results will speak for themselves.

Read the article "Developing Your Marketing Plan"

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