Maximizing Your Business Success Para información en español sobre nuestro enfoque a la administración estratégica, oprima aquí.  The ABCs of Strategy Formulation and Execution Successful strategy formulation requires a new way of thinking. Instead of looking forward from today and doing what-if scenarios, you focus on the outcomes first as though they had already happened. Then work backwards to identify the success measures, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and then the core strategies and key actions that will achieve the future outcomes. It's a 5-Phase process we call the ABC's of Strategy Formulation and Implementation, using five simple questions to focus your thinking: A - What are the future outcomes we have created? B - How will we know when we get there? C - Where are we today? D - How will we get there? E - What may be changing in our external environment that might affect our success? We recommend starting with Phase E and scanning eight areas for future trends which might impact the actions you take today - socio-demographics, competition, economics and ecology, politics/regulations, technology, industry, and customers/citizens. For example, let's say one of the trends shows that the community you serve, where your customers are, will be 40% Hispanic, 20% Asian, 10% African American and 10% Caucasion and other ethnicities by the year 2015. How will that affect your business? What changes should you be making today to prepare for a largely multicultural customer-base - in areas such as products, promotional campaigns, multi-lingual staff, packaging, customer service, etc? Starting first with the environmental scan identifies opportunities and threats facing you today, as in the example above. Once that is completed, we recommend moving next to Phase A to stay strategically focused and develop your desired outcomes (vision), mission and values. Then move on to Phases B, C, and D. This is a process that should be revisited on an annual basis with quarterly check-ups throughout the year to ensure everything is still on track. To learn more, visit this link. Client Testimonials “The Systems Thinking concept was introduced to the leadership team at our company by Eric and Jeri Denniston (Haines Center).  Although deceptively simple in concept, the rigor it introduces to the planning process is both powerful and clarifying.  The template is adaptable to both short-range and long-range planning and has become the guide for strategic and project planning in our company.” Bruce W. Hueners. President, Palomar Technologies Read more...   TRENDS This section will allow you to have access to the latest TRENDS in information related to demographics and product marketing.  We compile information from various sources, including McKinsey Quarterly, Trendwatching.com and Audio-Tech Business Book Summaries. By publishing these summaries, we do not support or endorse any of the concepts provided by these sources. We hope you find them insightful and useful. EXCITING NEW TRENDS ARE ADDED REGULARLY. CHECK FREQUENTLY TO SEE WHAT'S NEW  Visit our Trends Section now! Get Email Updates For Email Marketing you can trust Join our free mailing list and get advance notifications of trends and blog updates, as well as the latest information about our executive briefings and workshops in your area.