When we ask what people are looking forward to in 2025, we are hearing that many are reconsidering their business plans. In certain instances, they are even considering re-strategizing since they expect significant changes due to new technologies, funding, and even a change in target audience sentiments. We applaud this because there is a lot that is going on that suggests the next couple of years will see shifts in the landscape. It’s important, though, to remember that planning and strategizing are two different activities. Most of you who receive our emails know this, but it might be worthwhile to clarify.
A strategy is a planned course of action for accomplishing a set of goals. It’s not the actual actions one takes, but rather the path an organization follows. It considers the competitive landscape, your organization’s position in it, your competitive advantages, and most importantly, the products that can be leveraged, and the attributes that your target audience finds most appealing.
For instance, Folger’s Coffee’s approach, as expressed in their tagline, “The best part of waking up is Folger’s in your cup,” is to be the number one coffee brand consumed in the mornings. They don’t want to compete with Starbucks and other beverages for other coffee drinking occasions. They just want to own the morning. And Folger’s has done everything it can to make the morning home cup of coffee theirs – from the choice of bean blends to the packaging, to the sensory cues, especially the aroma.
A strategy gives rise to a plan, one that lays out the steps along the strategic path. The plan is the steps, it details how to get there rather than where to go. A key component is a budget. Aside from being orderly and logical, an effective plan relies on access to reliable data and objective analysis. In a time where data seems to be sprouting from just about everywhere, it’s important to know which data sets and points are organizational drivers. I’ve seen meetings spin out of control because there was way too much time spent on numbers that in the end had very little true impact on the plan.
I’ve also seen, and this one way too often, subjective misinterpretations of data. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to be objective in the planning process. And one of the signs that planning is being too heavily influenced by subjectivity is the phrase “because it’s what we’ve always done.” Like an over-stuffed closet, sometimes you need to get rid of those items that that are beloved but no longer fit or are out of fashion. This is especially true when it comes to marketing and communications. Which is why It’s helpful to have a “closet organizer.” Someone to help assess what to keep and what to throw out. And a qualified organizer has the breadth of experience, not to mention the objectivity, to see the clutter and have feasible options at the ready.
So, as you start the process, make sure you are clear as to whether you need to re-think your strategy or re-plot your plan. If you want to make sure, we’re happy to chat with you.