There are four possible answers to those questions:

Hard to believe it is the end of January, and the results of the past year are available to you and your client.  What have you done to help them?  What type of year did they have?  Were their results what they expected? 

There are four possible answers to those questions:

1. The client missed or exceeded last year’s actual results.
2. The client met their plan of last year – assuming they had a plan.
3. The client exceeded last year’s numbers and their plan but are unsure how to handle their growth.
4. The client does not know their results which is a much bigger problem.

Each of those answers has a call to action!

The potential or existing client should have started the planning process by now!  Whether you are their banker, CPA, trustee or legal advisor; you should be recommending that they take the time to review their results carefully.   Make sure they compare this year’s results to last year’s and to their plan (if they do not have a plan, better help them get one).

A few years ago, while attending Harvard’s OPM classes in Boston, Professors Lerner and Kaplan reinforced the point that all organizations should participate in conducting a SWOT (a SWOT is a brainstorming session to determine the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats facing a business or organization) every year.

The business climate, economy and competitive nature change from year to year.  Whatever the results of the existing or potential client are, they need to evaluate what the impact of their current situation will have on their organization or business.  My friend of years ago, Fred P. Gattas used to say that depending on what is going on we must “zig and zag” to dodge the bullet, or take advantage of the situation.

Elanstrategic can aid your existing or potential client in their strategic or execution plan for 2017.  We can meet for a complimentary demonstration of how our process works and help you add value to your relationship with your client. Your client’s first meeting with us is at no charge, and we help you move their business or organization to the next level!