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When starting any business, one of the most important things a new owner can do is set a direction for the future. Strategy the guiding factor for maintaining competitive advantage.
To build a game plan, you need to take a step back and assess where the business is now and where you want to be in the future. It sets a long-term goal that you ultimately want to achieve in the near future. This can be anything: expanding the company with more employees, fulfilling a certain number of orders by the end of a certain time frame, increasing sales or increasing a source of income. These long-term goals are goals that may take some time to achieve.
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Achieving bigger goals faster
Short-term goals are almost checkpoints that need to be met in order to achieve the desired result. By evaluating the business and being able to filter the important tasks from the unimportant, the game plan becomes much more focused, but also much smarter. It also prevents you or your employees from wasting hours on a project that seems important but doesn’t really contribute to the bigger picture. These efforts can be made elsewhere with long-term impact.
The way you think you will succeed is based on your assessment of the company. You choose the direction in which the company moves and the way of implementation. However, like any plan, things change along the way, including long-term ideals. External forces such as the government, competitors, environmental forces, or any unforeseen circumstance can completely change the trajectory of your business at any time. New methods and efficiencies can also change the plan in general, causing the company to move in new directions to achieve a new long-term goal.
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Learning from the epidemic
COVID-19 has been an unexpected force that has forced businesses to either adapt, move into new markets, or shut down entirely. The restaurant industry has suffered in particular, as its entire model is based on hospitality and personal contact with customers. Not being able to seat people or serve food put many restaurants out of business, no matter how reputable they were. On the other hand, some have shifted their efforts entirely and started taking out to stay afloat. Some establishments got creative and as restrictions eased, they started setting up tables on the street where people could stand, drink and eat. This has even helped many restaurants to permanently add outdoor dining options to their seating, giving diners more options despite strict guidelines.
If your business is operating without purpose or direction, what is its purpose? The hope of generating more profit and revenue, growing or becoming more affluent can only be truly realized with a game plan. It is constantly changing and is always essential for any business.
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