Posted by on Feb 26, 2011 in Marketing, Strategy | 2 comments

I like strong visuals, but sometimes I think the wrong picture simple adds to the confusion.   The image below is one such example.  I found it in a post on the Church of the Customer Blog.  While I typically enjoy their blog and agree with many of their suggestions, I think this one is way off target.

The graphic below is supposed to be a simple, one page snapshot of a strategic plan. It is pretty to look at, but impractical to create. I like the organization but I think I would spend more time trying to create the visual then working on the plan.  What do you think?

One Page Business Plan

Don’t get me wrong, I think small business owners need a business plan.  And I agree with the authors, it doesn’t have to be a formal bound document. It can be a simple one page summary of objectives, goals, strategies and tactics.   I just think it should be easy to create and update, and I think this would be neither.

More on This Topic

  • http://www.slaughterdevelopment.com/ Robby Slaughter

    Imagine for a moment that instead of a *formal* visual diagram made in a program like Microsoft Visio, that this was an *informal* diagram sketched on a whiteboard.

    Would you be more satisfied then?

    The key challenge in much of strategic planning is that we spend too much time on the form and not enough on the content. A visual diagram is a great way to address this issue, but only if we stay focused on the concepts.

  • http://www.roundpeg.biz Lorraine

    I would like it better if if was constructed of post it notes which I could move around.

    And I think you are right, in planning it should be content, over form.