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What do business owners and long-haul truckers have in common?\u00a0\u00a0 Knowing which road to follow, when to get off the highway, and making sure your equipment is in top shape.<\/p>\n
Imagine an over-the-road professional driver.\u00a0 He does not jump up into the cab, start the engine, and just take off.\u00a0 Before he or she even thinks about driving they have already plotted the best route to the destination, topped off the fuel tank, and checked the tires and other essential fluids.\u00a0 A trip of a thousand or more miles needs to happen without a breakdown due to sloppy preparation.<\/p>\n
This analogy translates handily to business executives.\u00a0 If you view the growth strategy for the company as a long trip, you need preparation, planning, mapping, and setting goals if there is any hope of success; of reaching the destination.<\/p>\n
A business cannot grow without a properly mapped out plan.\u00a0 No matter the station of the company\u2014start up, mid-life, or mature\u2014the road ahead is everything.<\/p>\n
And every plan, from full blown business plan to a shorter-term goal aimed at growth, should include a detailed cost analysis including a budget for marketing and advertising.<\/p>\n
Considerations for the trip to \u201csuccess:\u201d<\/p>\n
Fuel (gas) in the tank.\u00a0\u00a0 You must have enough money to buy gas for the trip.\u00a0 Your growth strategy will have costs.\u00a0 Some may be significant.\u00a0 Safety says to overstate those costs by some percentage to build a small cushion for the unforeseen.<\/p>\n
A map (not a Hagstrom) or a GPS layout of the stops along the way.\u00a0 Just like you would have to plan for overnight stays on a long journey, you will need to lay out markers for analysis of progress of your efforts.\u00a0 These stops are mandatory.\u00a0 Without them the trip will go off course and you\u2019ll never reach your destination.\u00a0 Know which metric is a KPI just like knowing which truck stop has the best burgers.<\/p>\n
Passengers.\u00a0 You can\u2019t make this trip alone.\u00a0 The passengers you take on the journey will help ensure a smooth road ahead.\u00a0 Each passenger should be fully available to travel with you.\u00a0 Even better if they have made such trips before. They will be co-pilots who can take over when it is their turn to get you to the next stop along the road.\u00a0 You will need at least one passenger who can play the road manager maintaining forward progress.<\/p>\n
Secure load.\u00a0 One last analogy.\u00a0 Your vehicle (product or service) must be stocked and ready to respond at stops along the way.\u00a0 The last thing you want to happen is not be able to respond to increases to sales or orders.\u00a0\u00a0 Logistics and delivery are the make or break of your effort.<\/p>\n
So, go ahead gas it up, check the tires and oil, fasten your seatbelt, and head down your own growth highway.\u00a0 Happy motoring.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
What do business owners and long-haul truckers have in common?\u00a0\u00a0 Knowing which road to follow, when to get off the highway, and making sure your equipment is in top shape. Imagine an over-the-road professional driver.\u00a0 He does not jump up into the cab, start the engine, and just take off.\u00a0 Before he or she even […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":2821,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2815","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"\n