When you are dying of thirst it’s too late to start digging a well !

Fortunately, if your business is struggling and you haven’t ever undertaken any planning it’s not too late to start.

The importance of planning in a business is well documented. Without a plan how can you know what you are trying to achieve and where your business is going.

A plan can come in many forms from the formal business plan, the type traditionally required when you try and raise finance, to the one page plan that you produce when you start the business, normally on a bit of scrap paper.

The best place to start with a plan is to try and think about your business and what you want it to become  – what do you want the business to look like in, say, five years’ time. What is it you are trying to achieve with your business?

Once you have this in your mind think about what you are going to have to do make it happen. Write out everything you need to do in order to make your vision for the business a reality in as much detail as you can.

Once you have done this you have the beginnings of an action plan for your business you will be working towards something and any major decision you make you can reference your plan to make sure that things are track.

So If your business is not doing what you want it to do then it’s time to take some time out an do some planning.