The following should be used in training sessions and is to be used as a member profile document.
Strategic Business Planning Questions:
Please have your written responses to the following questions ready for discussion prior to our next meeting. Please use statistical data when applicable. If you have any questions, please call.
1. What is the business owner’s job description?
2. What is the business mission statement?
3. What five problems does your business solve?
4. What current issues is the business facing?
5. How do you measure quality control?
6. What are the strategic business units?
7. List five internal strengths and weaknesses of your business.
8. List five external threats your business faces and 5 opportunities.
9. What is your personal and business absolute strength?
10. List the 6-month, 1 year, and 5 year performance goals of your business
11. List your direct and indirect competitors and their strengths and their weaknesses
12. List your idle resources.
13. List your forgone opportunity costs over the past year
14. List your ancillary profit centers.
15. Who is your business strategically aligned with?
16. How do your employees market your business?
17. What incentives do they receive when they bring in business?
18. How do your suppliers market your business?
19. What are the recreational activities of your clients?
20. What is your customer profile?
21. What are the emotional trigger points that cause your customers to purchase your product or service?
22. Provide a copy of your company newsletter or e-mail blast.
23. Provide a press release stating how your company has changed the industry or created a newsworthy event.
24. Explain how you track customers; develop your client base, and their buying habits.
25. Explain how you use your customer base to retain customers, develop leads, and increase market share.
26. What system is in place that encourages your best customers to refer their circle of influence to your business?
27. What does the internal and external appearance of your location convey to your customers?
28. What do you think the current image of your business is?
29. What do you want it to be and how will you get it there?
30. What do your customers talk about to their friends when they leave your location?
31. If you could not run your business, who is in place to run it for you? If you were going to sell your business, who is in place to run it for you?
32. Who would buy your business, why, and what price?
33. List the economic, political, and/or environmental issues and trends that your business can capitalize on?
34. How will your company use social media to promote its products or services?
35. How will your company give back to the community and be a good steward?
36. After answering these questions, what changes will you make and how will you implement them?
The Business Plan:
Planning: Read the following questions and mark your answers with a yes or no response.
Yes No
____ ____ My business plan is current and accurately describes and prescribes business Activities in sufficient detail for daily operations and lender requirements.
Comments:
____ ____ The goals of the business are known by all constituencies: partners, board of directors, investors, lenders, accountant, attorney, vendors, employees, etc.
Comments:
____ ____ Management, marketing and financial decisions are made with frequent references to the business plan and goals.
Comments:
____ ____ My plan guides business expenditures and when exceptions are required, they are documented.
Comments:
____ ____ Periodic reviews allow explanation and control of deviations in goals and planning.
Comments:
Notes:
Marketing:
Yes: No:
____ ____ Documentation allows me to evaluate the success of marketing and advertising expenditures.
Comments:
____ ____ My advertising plan considers the needs of both existing and new customers in product development, promotions, pricing, and availability of the product.
Comments:
____ ____ An effective lead system allows me to profile my customers and their needs, and Understands the source of leads, the source of sales, and the cost of generating both.
Comments:
____ ____ Those who come in contact with customers on a regular basis have methods for telling management about customer needs, complaints, and suggestions for improved products and services.
Comments:
____ ____ Methods of generating repeat sales have been planned and implemented.
Comments:
____ ____ Those responsible for marketing my firm work closely with those developing The business and financial planning.
Comments:
Marketing:
Yes: No:
____ ____ Systems of evaluating competitor’s new products or services are developed and reviewed at least twice per year.
Comments:
____ ____ Social media, fund-raising, and proper stewardship concerns are addressed.
Operations:
____ ____ Equipment and facilities are maintained and effective record-keeping allows Management of the maintenance.
Comments:
____ ____ Technology changes in production and office equipment are systematically reviewed.
Comments:
____ ____ Inventory control procedures are established and can be expanded as growth develops.
Comments:
____ ____ Supplier relationships are established and are evaluated for price and service on a periodic bases.
Comments:
____ ____ Shortages of industry wide materials are monitored and reported.
Comments:
Yes: No:
____ ____ Product and service quality is maintained and evaluated according to industry Best practices and benchmarking techniques.
Comments:
Financial Resources:
Yes: No:
____ ____ The professional responsibilities for record keeping and financial statements is knowledgeable about sources of financing.
Comments:
____ ____ Financial statements are prepared in a timely manner and are used to diagnose positive and negative conditions affecting operations.
Comments:
____ ____ Tax records and regulations are updated and documentation stored for convenient retrieval.
Comments:
____ ____ All information required for business valuation is retained and updated.
Comments:
____ ____ Established cash management techniques allow effective monitoring of accounts
Receivable, customer payment and deposits, payroll, collections, etc.
Comments:
____ ____ Credit policies are established and enforced for all customers. Financial stability Is established before credit is extended.
Comments:
Yes: No:
___ ___ Payment policies allow the firm to take advantage of discounts offered by vendors.
Comments:
____ ____ Cash not required for operations is invested.
Comments:
____ ____ Fixed and variable costs are reviewed and updated periodically.
Comments:
© Intellectual property rights will remain and secured by Robert W. Sutton 2010
Comments