Five Steps to Jumpstart Your Strategic Planning Process
As January comes to a close, your firm might be thinking - do we have a strategic plan for this year? What about the next 2-5 years? Or perhaps you need to hone in on the difference between a strategic plan versus a marketing plan versus a business plan. What is the difference after all? We know this type of planning and goal-setting is important, but it can feel complicated and intimidating. Strategic planning helps firms navigate competitive landscapes, adapt to market changes, and align their internal goals with external demands. We recognize the potential overwhelm associated with this task; so Meeks Marketing has put together a five-step introduction to strategic planning tailored for AEC companies.
#1 Client Survey: Understanding External Perceptions
The first step involves conducting a comprehensive client survey. This process is instrumental in gauging how clients view your firm. It’s an opportunity to gather valuable feedback on your firm's strengths, weaknesses, brand perception, and potential customer relations/service challenges. Understanding the client's perspective helps align your strategic goals with client expectations and market demands.
#2 Strategy Session with Firm Leaders: The Heart of Decision Making
The second step is a multi-day strategy session involving the firm's leaders, facilitated by experts like Meeks Marketing. In these sessions, leaders delve deep into various aspects of the business, including client and employee feedback. This platform allows for discussing big-picture ideas as well as granular details, helping to identify the firm's unique differentiators and long-term goals.
#3 Employee Survey: Gauging Internal Brand Perception
Thirdly, an internal survey amongst employees is conducted. Employees are the backbone of any firm and their perception is crucial. This step aims to understand if the team members grasp and can effectively communicate the firm's vision. As direct connections with your clients and major brand ambassadors, their alignment with the company's vision and goals is essential for coherent external messaging.
#4 Developing a Marketing Plan: Tailoring Strategy to Markets
Once the strategic direction is set, the next step is to develop a detailed marketing plan. This plan–which can vary by office, location, or market sector–puts into action the principles outlined in the overall strategic plan. It includes specific, executable steps that are designed to achieve the goals set during the strategy sessions.
#5 Developing the Strategic Plan: Crafting the Roadmap
Finally, based on the insights gathered from the strategy sessions, a draft of the overall strategic plan is developed. This draft is then refined with input from the firm’s leadership to ensure it aligns with both internal and external insights. The strategic plan serves as a roadmap for the firm, guiding its activities over the year.
Strategic planning in the AEC industry is a dynamic, multifaceted process. Does your firm need help developing a plan? Reach out to our team and together we can ensure that your strategies are well-informed, comprehensive, and aligned with the overall vision for your firm.