To make sure your company is where you want it to be in 5 years, start planning now!

1. Implementation/Follow-up
Action plan
Financial forecating
Operational plans
bdc.ca BDC@bdc_ca BDC
Where are we now?
Where do we want to be?
How are we going to
get there?
How will we monitor
our progress?
Who is going
to do what?
Strategic planning helps you answer five questions:
The planning process
3
Execution
2
Direction
1
Analysis
Prepare for planning sessions
→→ Put together a reliable planning team.
→→ Establish expectations, concerns,
limitations and scope of plan.
Evaluate business’s development
→→ Establish where the business is now.
→→ Establish vision of how to
develop business.
Objectively assess strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and
threats (SWOT)
→→ Produce quantitative and qualitative
analysis of business to date.
Define or redefine vision and
high-level priorities based on
strategic analysis
→→ Decide on mission statement,
shareholder objectives.
→→ Choose goals, strategic priorities,
success factors.
Organize planning workshops for
each operational unit
→→ Identify resources, budgets
and actions.
Develop financial forecast for agreed
planning period
→→ Identify impact of financial decisions
on profitability.
Develop detailed 12-24 month
implementation plan
Implement plan systematically and
monitor progress against milestones
→→ Adjust to changing conditions
Vision, mission, goals
and priorities
SWOT analysis
Current vision of business
Preparation and
preliminary assessment
To make sure your company
is where you want it to be in 5 years,
start planning now!
For more advice,
go to bdc.ca/strategyplanning
Strategic planning
Realize your company’s potential