The One Page Strategic Plan - sellingtobigcompanies.blogs.com · Intuitive Planning The One Page Strategic Plan uses a much different approach to planning than other tools. Rather

The One Page Strategic Plan

Plan Your Entire Year On One Sheet Of Paper

Laura PoseyChief Instigator

Dancing Elephants Achievement Group

© 2010 Dancing Elephants www.dancingelephants.net

http://www.dancingelephants.net






Introduction

How many of you are reading this ebook because you thought planning

was something you were supposed to do? Are you reading it because you

thought planning was “a necessary evil of business” or because someone

advised you to get a plan?




I’ll confess – when I did my first plan it was because I thought it was just

something business owners “had” to do. I didn’t really believe it would

change my business – and my life – so significantly.

I didn’t do my first plan until 2004, a full 3 years into my business life. At a

National Speaker’s Association conference, the incredible Roxanne

Emmerich of Emmerich Financial Group introduced me to a planning tool

similar to the one I’ll show you today. I completed my first plan at that

conference but I’ll admit, I didn’t really use it fully.

It wasn’t until a few years later that I discovered the true power of having

a strategic plan that can be used every day.

In the winter of 2006, I was so fed up with my business, I took a two-week

sabbatical in Sedona, Arizona to clear my head and redirect my energies. I

was so unhappy, I was seriously considering giving up the business I’d put

my heart and soul into for 5 years. After two weeks in the clear desert air,

I wrote my second strategic plan. This time I stuck to it.

From the moment I returned from Arizona, I looked at my plan each day.

It was a constant reminder of my desires and my focus and it helped me

make some of the toughest, but most necessary decisions of my life. Using

my plan as a guide, I was able to achieve the financial and emotional

freedom I had so long sought.

I now spend most of my business time sharing this incredible tool with

clients. It has fundamentally changed not only the way I interact with

clients, but their results as well.

Prior to implementing this planning process with clients, I was excited

when one of them would see a 20% increase in sales over the course of a

year. Now, using this strategic planning tool I’m disappointed if I don’t see

at least a 50% increase during that same time.




Yes, one sheet of paper can make that much difference in your business.

Take a moment to imagine what you could accomplish if you could harness

all of your energy, and the energy of those around you, into one clear, well-

defined direction. Imagine if you could tap into your passion on a daily

basis and put it all into your business. Imagine your days energizing,

rather than draining, you. Imagine knowing exactly where to spend your

time and money for the biggest returns.




Why Bother Planning?

When I met Gary, he was, to put it simply, a bit of a mess. He had

purchased his business from his father and had grown it to almost $1million in revenue. That was the good part.

The bad part was that he had a huge line of credit payment coming due and he had no idea how he was going to pay it. His accountant hadn’t done

his taxes in two years or balanced his books and he didn’t really know how much money he had in the business. He had two staff members, one of

whom was wonderful but underutilized and one of whom had a bad attitude and was a constant source of frustration.

Gary was spending ten hours a day in business, running from crisis to crisis. He was stressed, tired and grumpy. It seemed that no matter how

hard he worked, he just couldn’t get ahead.

Gary and I had a short conversation in which I told him I could help by

creating a One Page Strategic Plan with him. I laid out the benefits of planning for him.

• Finding his passion in the business

• Creating focus for him and his employees

• Giving him a daily reminder of the most important things to do

• Eliminating the distractions in his days

• Showing him the right opportunities to pursue

• Helping him make big decisions in less than 30 seconds

• Aligning his time, money and employees towards one purpose

• Harnessing the best of his employees and himself

• Gaining control of his business again




• Generating larger profits

His eyes got wide and he said, “If doing a plan will do even half of that for

me, I’m in!” A short time later we spent a day together, digging into his

company and creating his plan together.

In just six months, Gary has made incredible progress. He not only paid off

his credit line but also straightened out his tax situation. He found the

perfect role for his great employee and she is thriving. His “problem”

employee was so energized by the new focus of the company, he reengaged

and now is a terrific part of the team.

Gary wrote in his plan that he wanted to double his revenue in one year

and he is on track to do that. He has opened a second location (also in his

plan).

Best of all, he now works no more than 5 hours a day and has time to

pursue his passions outside of work. And, you guessed it, that is exactly

what he wrote in this plan that he wanted.

Gary’s story is not unusual. It is just one example of how pre-determining

what you want and how you’ll get there yields dramatic results. If you’ll

take the time to plan, you can and will have everything you desire.




Why Use A One Page Strategic Plan?

There are many planning tools on the market today. Some of them are

very useful while others just generate reams of ideas which sit on a shelf, never to be used again.

The One Page Strategic Plan is different for several reasons. It will benefit you because you will

• Focus your ideas onto one sheet of paper

• Tap into both sides of your brain for greater achievement

• Have a tool to share with family, employees and investors

Let’s look at each area in a bit more detail before we get into creating your One Page Strategic Plan.

Light Bulbs to Laser Beams

One of the greatest problems in small businesses today is a lack of focus.

Entrepreneurs are smart people and they think up new ideas all the time.

Not only that, but they spot potential opportunities wherever they go.

This can lead to “bright shiny object syndrome” or a pattern of chasing

after new things so often, they never get the old things done. The result is

a business that spreads its resources too thin, that wastes time and money

on projects that never turn a profit.

The solution is to create specific points of focus and stay with them until

they are completed. You’ll do exactly that in your One Page Strategic Plan.

Never again will you waste your precious resources going in the wrong

direction. Each day you’ll know exactly what to do and how to do it. Best of




all, you’ll have the decision-making tools you need to respond

appropriately to each opportunity that crosses your path. Some of those

opportunities will be incorporated into your plan while others will be

rejected, and rightly so.

You are about to go from being a light bulb to

being a laser beam. What’s the difference you

ask?

A light bulb is simply an implement that puts

out diffuse waves of energy to illuminate a

space. It ’s much like the ideas in an

entrepreneur’s head. There is lots of potential

power, but it is unfocused and chaotic.

A laser beam, on the other hand, is an

implement that takes those very same waves of

energy, aligns them in an orderly fashion and focuses them in one spot. A

laser beam doesn’t need a lot of energy to generate great power. Being a

laser beam can turn an average entrepreneur into a millionaire.

So, are you excited? Are you ready to get focused, energized and directed?

Are you ready to turn your light bulb tendencies into laser beam power?

Intuitive PlanningThe One Page Strategic Plan uses a much different approach to planning

than other tools. Rather than limiting your future success to the skills you

have learned in the past, it takes a look at your ideal future and plans

backwards from there. It uses an intuitive approach to planning rather

than a linear approach. Here is what that difference looks like.

When you use the past to create the future you often end up with linear

growth. That is, if you have historically grown 10% you will create a




business that grows 10% in the future. It is likely that you’ll just repeat the

past but in greater quantity. That is, you’ll work harder or longer to

achieve the higher results.

However, if you decide you want a business that is 500% larger than your

current business and you plan backwards from that ideal place to where

you are now, you’ll find innovative and creative ways to make that

happen. You will tap into the creative side of your brain to find new and

better ways of running your business rather than just repeating the

mistakes and inefficiencies of the past.

The One Page Strategic Plan allows you to use your intuitive mind, not just

your logical mind, to plan. In this book, you will be learning how to plan

using your subconscious mind, rather than using just your conscious

mind. By harnessing the power of both sides of your brain, you will

accomplish your goals faster and more easily.

Let me explain why.

As you may know, there are two sides to your brain. The left side is the

“logical” or linear side. It is sequential, analytical, and rational. It looks at

the component parts of a problem and solves them individually. This is the

part of the brain that turns on suddenly when you notice a dip in sales and

you think, “I have to fix that!”

The left side of the brain is used in linear growth planning. It is great at

looking at the past, at the facts of what is and using those thoughts to

create the future. It is wonderful at “This is the way we have always done

it” planning.

The right side of the brain is the “creative” or intuitive side. It is great at

thinking up new ideas, looking at the big picture and putting all the parts

together. Your emotions reside on the right side of the brain as well. This is




the part of your brain that “sees” your company as it can be and can

create ways to make it happen. It is the part of the brain that gets excited

at the possibilities and the opportunities.

Most traditional strategic planning is done with the left side of the brain in

mind. That is, someone makes a list of problems and determines solutions

for each problem. The challenge with this, from my perspective, is that you

end up with a lot of individual plans, none of which are aligned with the

others. You make a really bright light bulb, in other words.

I’m going to teach you strategic planning on the

right side of the brain. You’re going to use your

ability to look at the big picture, to pull out

creative ideas and visualize them happening. In

addition, you’re going to tap into the emotion

behind the ideas to lend energy and fun to the

process. Ultimately, because you are always

keeping the big picture in mind as you drill down

to implementable ideas, you’re going to stay

focused on what you really want to achieve. You

will create a laser beam of your business!

By using the right side of your brain to create your plan you will plan a

business that you love so much you can’t imagine doing anything else. You

will create a business that fills your heart, as well as your wallet.

Rowing In The Same Direction

Many entrepreneurs suffer from isolation and lack of support. They believe strongly in what they are doing and they have a vision for their

future but they struggle to convey it to others. As a result, they can fail to




get full support from their family and friends and they end up feeling

unappreciated and undervalued.

To make matters worse, many entrepreneurs have trouble getting their

staff to understand what they are building and they lack true buy-in and

commitment from their employees. The result is higher than necessary

turnover, uninspired workers and teams that fail to live up to their

potential.

The One Page Strategic Plan is a terrific tool for sharing your vision and

ideas with others. It can demonstrate to your support network that you

are focused and you know exactly where you are headed.

For your employees it brings a sense of purpose and alignment. Once they

know clearly where they are going and why, it is easy to get them all

pulling together and harness the power of their creativity, energy and

enthusiasm. You’ll find it much easier to have a harmonious and

productive staff with this one sheet of paper. They, just as you, will be

inspired by an inner passion to succeed, rather than motivated by some

outside enticement like money.

Using your One Page Strategic Plan daily will keep you and your company

focused, energized and excited about success. Best of all, it works so

quickly and easily you will soon see results that will propel you on to even

greater achievements.




Keys For Creating Your Plan

Okay, I know you are chomping at the bit to start planning and I promise

this is the last chapter before we do just that. It is important that you have the right mindset going into this planning process, so let’s review just a

few things to do to prepare for planning.

Relax – You Can’t Screw It Up

Before you actually sit down to write your plan, go someplace that you enjoy being where you won’t be disturbed. You won’t need long – typically

no more than an hour – to do the whole plan.

Before you put pen to paper, relax your mind and take a few nice deep

breaths. Allow yourself to be excited about creating your company.

It is important to note that you cannot do this wrong. It is impossible to

screw it up so let go of any apprehension or tension you feel. Whatever you decide is the right thing right now. You always have the freedom to go back

and revise your plan so just let the ideas flow.

Use Your Intuition

When doing your plan, listen to your gut. If you have to come up with a number, use the first one

that pops into your head, not one you have to calculate. Your subconscious mind operates at a

much faster pace than your conscious mind and it can figure out the “right” answer for you in a blink.

Dream Big And Don’t About “How”

As you go through the worksheet, you’ll be asked

to think about what you most dearly want. Don’t




be afraid to dream big, big, big! Let your imagination wander and tap into

what makes you deeply joyous, not just satisfied. Think about how you

ideally want to live and be and what you most want to have and write

those things down.

Don’t let your dreaming be hampered by not knowing “how” you’ll get

what you want. We’ll plan for some of the “how” and the rest will show up

along the way. With your One Page Strategic Plan, you’ll always recognize

the right opportunities to seize to get what you want so you don’t have to

worry about how you will get to your vision. You will know when it

happens.

Let Go Of The Past

It is important to note that what you have done in the past has gotten you

to where you are now. However, if you are not exactly where you want to

be, what you’ve done in the past isn’t sufficient to get you to your vision.

There is nothing that you have done up until now that you have to take

with you into the future. As you create your ideal future in your mind and

work backwards from it to create your plan, you may find that some of

your past experiences will serve you in the future but others may not.

That means you will need to change many things to achieve your ideal

future but you’ll find that change is fun and exciting when it is fueled by

passion. If you can let go of the past ways of doing things you will find it

easier to allow your mind to create new and better ways of getting what

you want. The past is limiting; the future is unlimited.

Think About Yourself But Beyond Yourself

As you create your plan, you’re going to create a company that exists

outside of you. That is, you’re going to create a business that can exist




without you at some point. You’re moving from having an income stream

(a paycheck) to having a saleable asset (an investment).

Each step of the plan needs to be looked at from the standpoint of

removing your time and presence from the company. That doesn’t mean

you can’t work in it, it means you don’t have to work in the company.

At the same time, remember that this company exists to serve you.

Therefore, its ideals, its culture, and its values should reflect yours. It

should be something you are proud to own and proud to have your name

associated with.

I promised that was the last chapter before we dive in and start planning.

Ready? Let’s create your One Page Strategic Plan!




The One Page Strategic Plan Overview

There are nine small parts that add up to the One Page Strategic Plan.

Each builds on the last so that every part of the plan is aligned and focused. Here is a visual representation of the plan the nine parts. We’ll go

into much more detail in the succeeding chapters.

(Note: this book is written to allow you to do the strategic planning process

yourself in under one day. However, we recommend working with a strategic

planning coach to get the best results from this process. If you don’t have a coach,

we will be happy to recommend one of our One Page Strategic Plan certified

c o a c h e s t o w o r k t h r o u g h t h e p r o c e s s w i t h y o u . J u s t e m a i l

[email protected] and we’ll get have a coach call you for a free

consultation.)


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



The Foundation

The first step on the pyramid is appropriately your foundation. Just as a

building needs a strong foundation to stand for a long time, so does your business. In the case of a building, the foundation is made of blocks and

mortar. In your business, your foundation is made of your core values and beliefs.

Core values and beliefs are defined as the way you see the world; what you believe to be true about how things are and how you want them to be. They

are your ideas of the way you will run your company and make decisions.

Imagine that you got to be God and you got to write your own

commandments for your company. Your core values and beliefs would be those commandments.

Just as commandments are guidelines for decision-making and behavior for living, so, too, are your foundations for your business. Your core values

and beliefs determine how you treat customers, employees and suppliers; how you interact with the larger community; who to hire, sell to and buy

from. They are the guidelines by which people will judge whether to engage with you. They are guidelines you and your employees will use to

decide who you should engage with.

Your core values and beliefs become your company’s culture. They dictate

behavioral expectations and help the people who are the right fit for you and your company identify and connect with you.

When you create your company foundations, you can leave the company for long periods and not worry about whether your staff will run it

according to the way you would. You have stated clearly your expectations for decision making and you can let your employees simply follow the

rules.




Here is another analogy to help you understand the importance of your

foundations. Suppose you were going to build a highway towards one of

your goals in life. Your core values and beliefs would be like guardrails on

that highway. They would keep you on the straight and narrow and help

you stay on track rather than wandering off in the wrong direction.

The key is to build a business based on your core values and beliefs and

not somebody else’s. It doesn’t matter what someone else believes, even

someone you admire and respect. This is about creating your perfect

company, not someone else’s. If you are going to live by someone else’s

beliefs, you might as well get a job somewhere.

Here are a few examples to get your mind started.

One of my core beliefs is that the world is abundant. That means to me that

there is no such thing as scarcity. There is so much abundance, in my

belief, we can’t even comprehend it all. That also means, because there is

so much of everything, that I have no competition. There is more than

enough to go around so I don’t have to compete for business. Even if I

make $10 million, there is plenty more money for everyone else.

Another of my personal core beliefs is that money is energy and is

constantly in circulation; that is, it

is impossible to “have” either of

them. If I earn $1 million, I don’t

get to keep it. Either I spend it, in

which case it flows back into the

system and through other people’s

lives, or I save it, in which case the

bank I invest with loans it out and

it, again, flows through other

people’s lives. For me, it is all flowing rather than static. My decision, then,




is how much of the stream of energy I want to have pass through me and

how much I want to control. Having this belief keeps me focused on

enjoying the flow of money in and out of my life rather than feeling like I

have to “have” it someplace fixed.

A third belief of mine is that if I serve, I will have everything I want

because serving is what I want. I believe that doing good work for others

will bring me the money that I want as well as a sense of well-being and

wholeness. I enjoy doing things for others and I love knowing I can make

all the money I want while having fun.

Here are a few more beliefs that other clients have shared with me:

On the ladder of life, you have one hand reaching up for help and one hand reaching down to help others.

If you help enough other people, the Universe, Jesus or whatever you call it will help you get everything you want and be everything that you can be.

If you think something is the end of the world, check again in 24 hours.

Gratitude is a choice.

People should be appreciated for what they do.

Without integrity, nothing works.

There are good ways to treat people and bad ways to treat people. Always choose the good.

Everyone already possesses the greatness they need to achieve everything they want.

When you use your sense of humor, you make the world a better place.

The more we surrender to being led, the more life shows up.

For every harsh situation, there are blessings in the middle of it.

Our employees value hard work and give 100% to our clients.




We are passionate about client results and we always give our clients our best.

We value clients who are coachable and who seek alignment with their actions and goals.

Work has to be fun!

We empower our employees and give them everything they need to make the right decisions for our clients.

We support out-of-the-box thinking.

We share our stories so that we may learn together.

Price is never a question when you do a better job than everyone else.

Our handshake and our word are our promises.

Do you feel how these core beliefs come from your heart and the deeper

places within you? These are ideas that shape the way you see and behave

in the world in a fundamental way.

These are the foundations for your business. No matter how many people

you have or how big this thing gets, you are your business. A long time

ago, somebody told me, “Never forget that your business exists to serve

you.” You may exist to serve others, but your business exists to serve you.

Create what you want based on your beliefs and the things that are

important to you.

Stop right now and go to the workbook and write down your core values

and beliefs on the worksheet. Don’t think about them. You know them. You

live them. What are the lessons you want to pass on to your children?

What do you want the world to run by? What are the rules for you? Just

write what comes to you. Don’t worry about wordsmithing right now. You

can always go back and make the language prettier. Right now, just get the

main ideas down.




STOP! Go to the workbook right now and fill in the foundation

part of your plan.

These are your guardrails on the highway to building what you want.

They’re the things you test every decision by. Take just a few minutes to

write down your beliefs. Because they are such an integral part of you,

they should just flow from you. Don’t think about them – feel them.




Your Vision

You now have your foundations. You have your guardrails on your

highway. You know how you’re going to make decisions. You have a tool to help your employees make decisions on your behalf when you are away

from the office. You have defined for yourself, your company and everyone who comes in contact with you, how you will behave. Isn’t it nice to have

such a clear way of seeing things? Isn’t it reassuring to have such a tool to use?

Now it’s time to take a look at where you want to take your business. It’s time to create your vision.

A quick look at the dictionary reveals the definition of “vision” as relating to the imagination and seeing that which has not yet happened.

In short, your vision is your imagination of what you want you life, and business, to be like. It is your projection of how things will be when they

are just the way you want them.

Imagine making a movie of the rest

of your life and being able to write the script anyway you like. Imagine

having as much time, money and energy to be, have and do whatever

is interesting to you. What is in that script? What scenes do you see

being played out? Did I mention that the budget for this movie is

unlimited?

So, what do you want? What pictures come to mind when you think about

things that make you happy? If I asked you to tell me a story about




something that makes you feel wonderful, what would you say? If I asked

you what you’d most like to create in your business and how you’d most

like to work, what story would you tell me?

Tap into the passion that drives you on the deepest level. What is it that

lights up your soul, that makes you feel most alive and most connected to

the world around you. Your vision is something that inspires you to be

everything you can and to live your very highest purpose. It becomes the

fuel for your actions, driving you on to live exactly as you wish each and

every day.

Don’t limit yourself to what you think is possible from where you are now.

We will deal with the “how” you’ll get to your vision in a little bit. Right

now, tap into the right side of your brain and allow your creative side to

produce pictures, stories and fantasies of the way you’d like things to be.

Don’t worry about getting it “right.” There is no right vision. The only

thing that matters is what you want.

Don’t worry, either, about setting this vision in stone. You can always

change it later as you grow and develop. Just think about what you most

want based on where you are now. Think big and allow yourself to feel the

wonderful feelings that come up when you think about something you

really want.

Here are some examples from my clients to get the juices flowing for you:

I want to take a 180-day around the world cruise so I can see the places I want to go back and explore.

I want to create a foundation that helps families adopt children from overseas. We will provide no-charge legal and support services for any family that wants help.

I want to be fire chief in my home town.




I want to be the go-to business guru who is so successful that others seek my advice on how to grow their companies. I want to be able to fund their ideas too.

I want to change the way healthcare is run in this country and convince health insurance companies they should cover preventative and alternative medicine practices such as house cleaning, massage, acupuncture, etc.

I want to prevent homeless animals from being euthanized by creating an organization that gives money to rescue organizations so they can take care of more animals.

I want to create a scholarship fund that pays for private school, uniforms, books, housing, transportation, etc for two middle school kids from each school in my city so they have a chance at a better life through education.

I want to be able to get up any day and decide to hop on a plane to someplace cool.

I want to live in 10 world cities for at least a year each. I will rent a house in each, learn the language and immerse myself in their culture.

I want to pay for college for every kid in my family including nieces, nephews, grandkids, etc.

I want to buy a new house for my parents and pay for live-in care so they can grow old comfortably in their own home.

Do you get the idea? Dream as big as you want and have fun with this!

Go to the workbook and write down your vision of your perfect life. Write

all the things you want to be, have and do. Don’t limit them to your

business just yet. Write how you want to spend your days, how much

money you want to have flow through your life and what the most

meaningful things are that you are doing. Many people find that if they

had all the money they wanted, they would give back to their communities

in some way or create charitable foundations to help others. Still others

find they want to travel to faraway places or create opportunities for




friends and family members. Dream big and don’t limit yourself in any

way.

Now that you know what you want, let’s figure out how your company can

give it to you. After all, your company is just a tool to provide you with the

lifestyle you desire.

What do you want your company to look like? How big is it? How much

revenue does it earn? How many people work in it? What is it known for?

Your vision for your company is the picture you paint of your ideal

organization. Whatever it earns is what you could sell it for since we are

building it to exist without you. It is a separate entity that has value you

can use to reach your goals and dreams.

My vision has changed a few times over the years, each time getting bigger

and bigger. At this point, my vision is to earn $1,500,000 per year via

online sales, speaking and consulting. I want to work with entrepreneurs

and be a force in making the world economy hum along smoothly via small

businesses. I have a vision to help every entrepreneur who asks in some

way whether it is with advice, a product, a referral, an article or even a

Facebook post. Part of my vision also includes creating an organization

that raises funds for animal shelters by creating a virtual adoption

website. Another part of my vision, includes traveling the world and living

in different cities on different continents to experience what other

cultures have to offer. When I close my eyes, I can see each of these

“movies” playing in my head and I can imagine myself living them as if

they are already true.

Here are some visions of my clients’ companies to use as examples:

We are the go-to company for print and promotion in the Central Idaho area. We are family-owned and operated and have grown to $20 million in sales because of our quality work and strong




relationships. We are using our success to help underprivileged kids have a better chance at their own success. We enjoy anonymously giving away money where it will make a difference.

We are a $2 million company that is known for being the best in our industry. Our clients seek us out because they know we will give them the best possible experience during a difficult time. Our founder is connected to but not bound by her job no more than 4 days per week and she is free to travel at least 3 months per year.

We are a $1.2 million company. We operate with a blend of employees and contractors. Our leader enjoys a $500,000 income and her time is spent consulting with our consultants. She is free from the day-to-day duties of the company. Our founder has the ability to work from anywhere in the world. She has all the things in place to make travel fun and easy.

We are a leader in the market for marketing businesses on the web. We are sought after for our expertise and results. We are a $10 million company with a 20% profit margin. The business allows the partner the freedom to leave the day to day operations and concentrate on the areas they most enjoy.

We are a $10 million company that is a driving force in our community. We are the #1 choice for Apple sales and service in our community. We are so successful financially and as viewed by our customers that we are able to mentor other businesses and help them grow to our level of success. Our company is self-sustaining allowing our founders to pursue their dreams of giving back and growing other companies.

STOP! Go to the workbook right now and fill in the vision part

of your plan.

Go to the workbook and write down your vision of your company. Write it

in the present tense, as if it were already true. This little trick creates the

illusion in your brain that the vision has already happened. When you

experience something in your environment that doesn’t fit the vision,

your brain will instantly start to solve the problem of dissonance and find




ways to make the outside world match the inside world. Nifty little tool,

your brain.

Your vision will evolve over time. As you grow and develop, you will

realize that you are capable of more things, so your vision will get larger.

As you move toward your vision, even if you don’t achieve it and get all the

way there, you will get a glimpse of the possibilities that there is more

beyond what you originally think about now. You will expand your

thinking and way of looking at things.

.




Your Big Dream

The next thing we want to talk about is a big dream that you have.

A big dream is a single thing that you would really like to have, experience or be. It can be related to your overall vision but it doesn’t have to be. It is

usually something a bit off the wall or beyond your ability to figure out how to get but it is something that would bring a huge smile to your face if

it happened.

Here are a few examples to give you a better explanation:

Write a #1 best selling book

Be on Oprah

Be on a reality TV show

Take a trip around the world

Have a vacation house in Europe

Own a private island

Have a private meeting with a President of the US

Attend a prestigious cooking school

Have dinner with Betty White

You get the picture. Big dreams are fun, exciting to think about and sometimes a bit kooky. By writing down what your big dream is, you set

your brain to problem solving mode and it searches for ways to make your dream come true.

Better still, if you share your big dream with others, many will help you find ways to make it come true. Here is my personal story of how that is

happening right now to show you how this works.




My big dream is to be on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” I think she is cool. I

want to be up there dancing and shaking my booty with her. When I

originally decided that was my dream, my first thought was, “I have no

idea how I’m going to do that. I speak on sales and marketing. I don’t think

Ellen gives a rat’s pattooty about sales and marketing and I doubt her

audience does either.”

Then, last year, I was sitting on the couch with a friend, and I had one of

those moments. One of those commercials for a child rescue came on and I

immediately thought, “That’s a great idea and if those were dogs, I would

give them money.”

I thought, “Why doesn’t somebody start something for people like me who

love dogs but who can’t physically adopt any more?” So I did. I created a

non-profit called “Save This Pup” and we are building the organization

right now.

If you know anything about Ellen

DeGeneres, you know she has a soft spot

for dogs. Save This Pup is the perfect

vehicle for me to realize part of my vision

as well as my big dream.

Here is where the story gets more

interesting.

I was at a software conference last year in Phoenix, Arizona. As I went out

for the group dinner, I saw tables for 650 people.

I didn’t know anyone at this convention. I wondered who I was I going to

have dinner with and where I’d sit. I randomly picked out a table and sat

down next to a women who looked like she would be kind to me.


http://www.savethispup.com






I turned to the woman next to me and asked her what she did. Turns out

she was a professional networker. That means her job is connect her client

with people they most want to meet. She asked me who I most wanted to

meet and I mentioned Ellen Degeneres.

Her response floored me. “Wow! Ellen DeGeneres. Isn’t that interesting? I

have a client that I’m working with right now to get on “The Ellen

DeGeneres Show.” When I get all the details sorted out, make the

connections and finalize that project, I’ll give it to you.”

Coincidence? I don’t think so. When you write down your big dreams, it

encourages you to talk about them. When you talk about them, you will

instantly find people who can make them real for you.

There are people all around you who could get you to your big dream. You

don’t know it, and they don’t know it yet but if you write it down and then

mention it to people, resources will pop up all over the place.

STOP! Go to the workbook right now and fill in the big dream

part of your plan.

Go to the workbook and write down your big dream now. Don’t worry

about how you’ll get it just write it down. Later, when you think about it,

tell a few folks what it is. You will be amazed at how fast people can make

the connections to bring your dream to life.

Your big dream is going to happen. You have no idea how fast that’s

coming. Just by speaking it, it shows up incredibly quick.




Long-Term Targets

Now that you know where you are headed (your vision), you have some

rules in place for getting there (your foundation) and you have something fun to look forward to (your big dream), you can get down to figuring out

how you’ll start making those things happen.

Since your vision and your big dream likely seem pretty far off, you can

easily get overwhelmed with figuring out how to achieve them. Not to worry. The One Page Strategic Plan has a solution and it is one you are

likely familiar with. Just take the big goal and break it down into smaller pieces.

Let’s start with setting some longer term targets that are somewhere between

where you are and where your vision is. Long-term targets are usually chosen in

the range of 3-5 years out from where you are now.

Notice we’re calling them targets rather than goals. This is because they are

general areas in which you want to head but they aren’t yet focused enough to

become goals. Since they are still far away from where you are, you’ll want to give yourself a little leeway in terms of hitting them.

At the same time, you want them to be defined enough that you can start moving towards them and you want them to be aligned with your goals.

To use our analogy from earlier, if you were building a highway from New York to California, you might think of long term targets as having the

section of your road from New York to Kansas City done by a certain date.




Long term goals come in many forms. Here are a few examples from

clients to help you get your head around the concept.

Revenue of $1 million

Profit of $200,000

Hire a full-time admin

Buy a second location

Pay off the debt

Cut my hours to 20/week

Add two new product lines

Become certified in a product

Finish my masters degree

Save a $100,000 down payment on a building

Finish writing a book

Buy a new server rack

Take 4 weeks of vacation

You’ll notice that these are fairly specific but not nailed down perfectly.

That’s just fine at this stage. The idea here is to plant the seeds in your

brain and let it go to work in the background, finding ways to make them

grow. By writing down your targets, you are training your brain to look for

opportunities to make them reality.

You’re going to pick no more than four long-term targets to think about. If

you choose more, your brain will get overwhelmed and choose the easy

route of ignoring the problem altogether. That won’t be helpful at all.




STOP! Go to the workbook right now and fill in the long-term

goals part of your plan.

Go to the workbook and write down a date that is somewhere between

three and five years from now. Just pick the one that comes to mind first.

Then write down no more than four long-term targets that are in

alignment with your vision, that is, that support and move your towards

your vision. Don’t spend much time thinking about what they are. Just let

them flow from your subconscious.

I’d strongly suggest picking a revenue target as one of your choices. Again,

just go with the number that pops into your head first.




Key Long-Term Priorities

Now that you know what your targets are, that is, in which direction you

are headed, it’s time to decide what you are going to need to pay attention to in order to get there.

In our road building analogy, this is like deciding what things you’ll need to build your road to Kansas City such as equipment, labor, materials,

plans, etc.

Take a look at your long-term targets. What areas of your business must

be developed, paid attention to or focused on to achieve these targets? What are the necessary components and what combination of components

would be sufficient to get you there?

When you think about your priorities, think about the general areas of

your business, not specific tasks that would need to be accomplished. If you start drilling down into tasks at this stage, you’ll find the list is so long

and complicated you can’t possibly get it done. Keep things simple at this stage.

There are many areas of your business that might fall into the key priorities. Here are some examples from my clients.

Hiring processes

Upgrading technology

Staff training

Creating replicable systems

Documenting processes

Increasing sales

Marketing planning




Finding strategic alliances

Developing new products

Growing our database

Tracking our sales process and conversions

Setting aside savings

Paying down debt

Website improvement

Automating processes

Advertising

Getting larger space

Buying a building

Finding contractors

Creating a team of advisors

Outsourcing

Organizing files and data

Creating remote workplaces

This is by no means a comprehensive list but it should give you some ideas

to get started.

Note that we are talking about key priorities not all priorities. What are

the no more than five most important areas to get your targets

accomplished? If you list them all, you’ll never get them done. The human

brain can hold no more than seven items comfortably in memory. By

choosing no more than five key priorities, you ensure that you don’t

overload your brain.




STOP! Go to the workbook right now and fill in the long-term

priorities part of your plan.

Go to the workbook and write down your five key priorities for

accomplishing your targets. Keep them general and short. If you make a

list of more than five, just go back and edit it until you have the five most

important ones on your list.

Wait, Isn’t This Supposed To Be Harder?

Isn’t this a simple method so far? Are you realizing that you already know

the answers? In a very short time you have determined the vision of your life and your company, you’ve established your company culture, you’ve

identified a big dream of yours and you have started to clarify the path to making your vision your reality.




In terms of time spent working on your plan, you’ve likely only spent

10-20 minutes thinking of and writing down the answers.

At this point you might be thinking, “I can’t trust these answers. They

came too fast. They’re too easy.” That’s a common reaction, and one I see

all the time. We have been trained in our culture that you have to work

hard and put in a lot of effort if you expect results. We have been

conditioned that detailed logical analysis is the only right way to find

answers. We have many sayings that tell us that struggle and hardship are

the paths to good fortune.

Remember, though, that for every person who struggles, pushes, works

hard and fights, there are other people to whom things come easily. The

path to things coming easily is one of focus and alignment and

preparation.

When you set out on a journey and you have chosen the shortest, easiest

route, packed the proper supplies (no more and no less than you need)

and marked your map, your progress is easy. Conversely, when you set out

without a plan, you tend to carry too much with you, waste time on paths

that lead no where, exhaust yourself backtracking or climbing hills

unnecessarily and just plain do more than is essential for getting to your

destination.

You are in the midst of finishing your preparation now. The reason it is so

easy is that your subconscious mind has been figuring out the best way to

do things for a long time. It has always known what the easiest path was.

Sadly, your conscious mind was too busy listening to others tell you that

you were was supposed to work hard, that it failed to hear the quiet

wisdom of the other half of your mind.

It has taken me many years to first hear my subconscious and then to

trust it. I spent years doing things the hard way, putting in long hours and




becoming a “workaholic”. Like any other addict, I didn’t realize my

addiction until it was almost too late. I’d almost lost my friends, family and

dearest relationships. I’d almost lost my dreams, too.

When I took that journey to Sedona, I was truly in a bad place. It was there

that I first heard the whispers of my subconscious, telling me everything I

needed to know. Later, as I learned to listen better, that whisper became

louder until now it sounds like a chorus, drowning out the other voices.

Now, I find that everything I choose to do is almost effortless when I take

the time to listen to my inner voice and let it guide me. The people,

resources and ideas show up as if on cue when I want something that is in

alignment with my vision.

I tell you this because I want so much for you to experience ease and joy in

your business. I want you to learn to trust that voice inside you that

knows you best and that can lead you to a life of purpose and fun.

Listen to you. You are the only expert on your life. Let others be the

experts on their lives.

And now, on to the rest of the plan.




Short-Term Goals

You are now going to repeat the process you just finished for long-term

goals. Start by choosing a date that is roughly one year in the future.

Next, identify no more than four short-term goals that you will commit to

hitting by that date. Notice that it is “no more than four” goals. You needn’t have that many if that feels like too many.

Part of what makes this plan work so beautifully is that you never overwhelm yourself and never get to shutdown mode. Write down what

feels doable, what your subconscious tells you is possible. If that is two goals, write down two. If it is four, write down four.

Your short-term goals should be very specific. They should be so specific, in fact, that you can visualize exactly what they look like when they are

done.

Once again, here are some examples from clients to help you understand:

Hire a full-time administrative assistant for Jane

Hire two successful salespeople

Earn revenue of $240,000

Create profit of $37,000

Pay off $20,000 of debt

Cut my hours to 35/week

Take a two-week vacation in Hawaii

Write the detailed outline for my book

Create a new product with a value of at least $300

Complete my first year of my masters degree




Save a $22,000 down payment on a building

Donate $1000 to Rotary

Hire an organizer to clean out our offices

Hire a housekeeper every two weeks

Teach Jason to repair laptops

Just as with the long-term targets, your short-term goals should be

aligned with your vision. Think of these as the first stepping stones on the

path to your vision. Lay them out in as straight a line as you can see

towards what you really want.

STOP! Go to the workbook right now and fill in the short-term

goals part of your plan.

Go to the workbook and write down a date that is somewhere around one

year from now. Just pick the one that comes to mind first. If you are doing

a plan in the middle of a year, it may be helpful to choose a date that is at

the end of the next year. Many people find it easier to think in terms of

calendar years.

Then write down no more four short-term goals that are in alignment with

your vision, that is, that support and move you towards your vision. Don’t

spend much time thinking about what they are. Just let them flow from

your subconscious.




Key Short-Term Areas of Focus

Now that you have your short-term goals, you can figure out how to make

them happen. Your short-term areas of focus are those parts of your business that will need to be developed, focused on or paid attention to in

order for your goals to be achieved.

Just as you did with your long-term key priorities, think of no more than

five areas of your business that are individually necessary (you must do them) and collectively sufficient (together they will get the job done) to

accomplish your goals.

Here is the list of examples again to help you think:

Hiring processes

Upgrading technology

Staff training

Creating replicable systems

Documenting processes

Increasing sales

Marketing planning

Finding strategic alliances

Developing new products

Growing our database

Tracking our sales process and conversions

Setting aside savings

Paying down debt

Website improvement

Automating processes




Advertising

Getting larger space

Buying a building

Finding contractors

Creating a team of advisors

Outsourcing

Organizing files and data

Creating remote workplaces

STOP! Go to the workbook right now and fill in the short-term

key areas of focus part of your plan.

Go to the workbook now and write down your key areas of focus for the

next year. Remember, no more than five so your brain doesn’t short

circuit.

These are the parts of your business on which you will focus next year.

That is, these are the places you will spend your time and money in

development. By keeping your focus on this list, you eliminate the “bright

shiny object syndrome” common to so many people. You won’t get pulled

off track if you just keep your eyes on these five areas. Simple, huh?

If your list of short term areas of focus includes sales, marketing, hiring

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to help you.


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Key Measurements

Wow, you have gotten a lot done in the last few minutes. You know what

your goals are for the next year and you know the areas of your business that need your time, energy and focus to make your goals happen.

Now it is time to put a few measurements in place to keep you on track. Think of these as a dashboard to make sure your business is operating at

peak efficiency and to ensure that you are moving towards your goals regularly.

Your key measurements are things you will track on a weekly basis. Yes, I said weekly.

The reason you want to measure things weekly, even if they are things that don’t change that fast, is that you want to remind your brain to stay

focused on what is most important.

Key measurements can take many forms.

First, you can measure results. These are the outcomes of activities and are typically hard numbers. Classic examples of results are number of

sales, revenue, profit and email addresses in your database.

Some results go up over time, like revenue

and profit. When you measure these weekly, you can graph the rise of the result

over time. For example, you might watch revenue go from $100,000 to $200,000

over the course of a month.

Other results may be aligned with a

benchmark or minimum, such as sales per week. In this case you set a target or goal for the outcome and measure




your variance from it. For example, you might establish 5 as the optimal

number of sales per week and measure whether you are under or over

that amount each week.

Second, you can measure activities. These are the inputs that lead to the

outcomes. Common examples are number of sales appointments or calls,

number of follow ups, or number of networking events attended. Activities

can go up over time but most are benchmarked.

Here are some common examples of key measurements:

Revenue

Savings

Debt

Debt paid off

Contacts in database

Emails in database

# of people who open our newsletter

# of sales appointments scheduled

# of appointments held

# of new clients

% of repeat clients

Sales from repeat clients

# of calls made to existing clients

Output per worker

% of downtime

# of hours worked

Profit margin




Gross profit

Net profit

Owner’s income

You get the picture. Generally, you will choose key measurements that you

can graph. Having a pictorial view of your progress is a fast and easy way

to tell whether you are on track for your goals or not.

STOP! Go to the workbook right now and fill in the key

measurements part of your plan.

Go to the workbook now and write down all the things you could measure

in your business. Then pick the four most important for ensuring your goal

achievement.




Your Annual Theme

The last piece of the One Page Strategic Plan is your annual theme.

This is a word or short phrase that sums up your entire year’s focus and is something that you find inspiring and rousing. It is a reminder of what you

want to focus on and it becomes an underlying theme for all of your plans, ideas, meetings and work.

I’ll give you some examples to help you understand.

A great friend of mine is one of those quiet and still people. In a crowd, she

stands quietly and lets others do the talking. One year, her annual theme one year was “boldness.”

For her, this one word reminded her that she wanted to be the kind of person who could step out, speak out, or push the envelope a little bit.

Every day she’d say, “I’m going to be bold today,” and she did.

She started doing and saying things that she didn’t think were her nature. She

developed a whole new nature that she loves more now. You should see the smile

on her face. She’s still quiet, but there’s t h i s m i s c h i e v o u s n e s s a n d

adventurousness in that quiet woman now.

Another client of mine is a big Buffalo Sabres fan. In the stands at each

Sabres game, there is a sign that says, “We Believe”. My client adopted that as his theme this past year. His whole company functions around the

concept of “we believe”. His employees talk about what they believe they can accomplish. They discuss what they believe their role is with


Boldness!!



customers and growth. They believe they can double their business in one

year and they are. This theme permeates everything they do.

My annual theme this year is “Allow The Abundance”. It is a reminder to

me not to push too hard or force things but rather work from a place of

inspiration and enlightenment. Each day I focus on allowing the

abundance to flow to me. When I get stuck or frustrated, I stop and look for

ways to allow the abundance to flow into my life.

Here are a few more examples from clients:

Bull’s-eye, not bullshit

Focus!

Power up!

Focused and fun!

Stay on track

Think big, be big!

Celebrate!

Oh yes, we will!

Live large!

This is my year!

Play around with a few ideas to come up with your annual theme. See if

there are images or pictures that come up in your mind to accompany the

words.

STOP! Go to the workbook right now and fill in the annual

theme part of your plan.




Go to the workbook now and write down your annual theme. Let it sit for a

day to make sure it is the one you really want. Often, this one piece of the

plan will start out as one idea and the next day become something else.

Don’t worry if you change your mind tomorrow and create a new annual

theme. That is very common.

How To Use Your Plan

That’s it! You have completed your entire One Page Strategic Plan! Wasn’t

that easy?

You now have an incredibly powerful tool, if you choose to use it. The great

thing about this plan is that because it is so short yet focused, it is very easy to use on a daily basis.

The first thing to do to make your plan usable is to transfer your workbook ideas to one page. To get your Excel template, just visit

http://www.dancingelephants.net/opsptemplate and download your free copy.

Here are a few sample plans so you can see what they look like when they are completed.


http://www.dancingelephants.net/opsptemplate

http://www.dancingelephants.net/opsptemplate









Once you have your plan on one sheet, it is time to use it. To do this, simply

print your plan and place it somewhere you will have to physically pick it

up and touch it tomorrow morning. This could be a bathroom mirror, your

computer screen, on your office chair or on the coffee pot. One of my

clients sets it on top of her toilet lid before she goes to bed at night.

When you pick up your plan each morning, read through it quickly. It will

remind you what you are working towards (your vision and goals) and

how you should spend your time today (your key areas of focus).

After you read your plan, spend a few moments (1-3 minutes) imagining

your life as if your vision were already true. How would the owner of a

company like that be spending the day? What decisions would you make?

How would a company like that operate?

This short exercise will once again get your brain into super problem-

solving mode. By creating a dissonance between the world in your mind

and the world outside, you focus your brain on equalizing the two worlds.

Since it has no idea which one is “real” it will seek to make the lesser world

become the happier world. You will not only be more inspired to do things

differently, but you will be happier doing them.

In addition, your brain will now spot all of the shortcuts, fast tracks and

quick routes to bringing the outside world to match the inside. You will

find yourself in the right place at the right time meeting the right people to

make your dreams come true.

Have fun with this and enjoy the journey of reaching your vision. Allow it

to be easy and joyous and enriching. Read your plan each day to program

the thoughts into your mind. Dream a few minutes each morning before

you start working. That’s it!




The One Page

Strategic

Plan

Workbook




Foundation Beliefs

I believe the following things are true and they are how I want to run my

business:

1. _____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

4. _____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

5. _____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

6. _____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

7. _____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

8. _____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

9. _____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

10.____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________




Your Personal Vision

Write out all that you want to be, have and do if money were no object? How much

money would you like to have flow through your life to make this happen?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________




Your Company VisionWrite out your company vision as if it were already true (present tense). Include

the value of your company and any other details you want to make sure happen for you.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




Your Big DreamWrite your big dream here. Have fun with it!

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Long-Term TargetsPick a specific date somewhere between three and five years from now. Write

down your long-term targets that you want to have accomplished by that date for

your business.

Date: ____________________• _________________________• _________________________• _________________________• _________________________




Key Long-Term PrioritiesWrite down the most important areas of your business on which to focus in order

to accomplish your long-term targets. There is room here for ten but identify

your top five and then write them below.• ________________________• ________________________• ________________________• ________________________• ________________________• ________________________• ________________________• ________________________• ________________________• ________________________

Top Five Key Long-Term Priorities• ________________________• ________________________• ________________________• ________________________• ________________________

Short-Term GoalsPick a specific date somewhere about one year from now. Write down your short-

term goal that you want to have accomplished by that date for your business. Date: ____________________

• _________________________• _________________________

• _________________________• _________________________




Key Short-Term Areas of FocusWrite down the most important areas of your business on which to focus in order

to accomplish your short-term goals. There is room here for ten but identify your top five and write them below.

• ________________________• ________________________

• ________________________• ________________________

• ________________________• ________________________

• ________________________• ________________________

• ________________________• ________________________

•

Top Five Key Short-Term Areas of Focus

• ________________________

• ________________________• ________________________

• ________________________• ________________________




Key IndicatorsWrite down all the things you might want to measure in your business.

• ________________________• ________________________

• ________________________• ________________________

• ________________________• ________________________

• ________________________• ________________________

• ________________________• ________________________

Write down the four things you will measure on a weekly basis to ensure you hit

your short-term goals.• ________________________

• ________________________• ________________________

• ________________________

Annual ThemeWhat word or phrase will inspire and focus you throughout the year?

____________________________________________________________________

To get your Excel template, just visit

www.dancingelephants.net/opsptemplate

and download your free copy.


http://www.dancingelephants.net/OPSPtemplate

http://www.dancingelephants.net/OPSPtemplate



Documents

The One Page Strategic Plan - sellingtobigcompanies.blogs.com · Intuitive Planning The One Page Strategic Plan uses a much different approach to planning than other tools. Rather