4 reasons you should review your trade business plan now

Most trade business owners are under the impression business plans are a once-off task. It’s completely untrue. Business plans should be reviewed, at a minimum, on a yearly basis. Indeed, this is dependent on each individual business. For example, a growing business may need to review its business plan every quarter. An established business may only need to review it every 12 months.

You may be thinking, ‘but why?’ Here are the top 4 reasons why you need to review your business plan:

1. Prioritisation

As your business continues to evolve, your business goals will also change, and therefore your priorities.

For example, when you initially start your trade business, your business goals may include increasing your customer base and achieving a yearly turnover of $500,000. Therefore, your priorities will lie with increasing marketing and sales.

By reviewing your business plan regularly, you can realise if you have or if you haven’t achieved your goals. Consequently, you can understand where your priorities lie, and what your time should be spent on, for the next business period.

2. Things inside your business change

As things inside your business develop and progress, you will need to review your business plan. Each change (however small or large it may be), will have some sort of effect on your business goals.

These changes can include, but are not limited to:

  • Hiring new staff
  • Changes to the roles of current staff
  • Changes in services offered
  • Changes to products offered
  • Turnover has increased/decreased
  • Expenses have increased/decreased.

3. Things outside your business change

The business environment today is fast-paced and ever-changing. You have to be prepared to change with it.

These changes can include, but are not limited to:

  • Economic changes, for example, a recession or a boom
  • Customers needs and wants
  • Technological advances
  • Legal aspects of the area/country you are operating in
  • Competitors.

These changes are sometimes outside of your control. You may not want to switch up your plan. However, failure to do so will result in an uncompetitive business and potentially failure.

4. Opportunity

Reviewing your business plan allows you to create new opportunities.

You may review your business goals and come to the realisation that in order to achieve them, you need to hire a new tradesman or admin staff. An opportunity for you to expand and grow your business has presented itself.

Or, a review may show you have indeed achieved your previous business goals and the opportunity has now arisen for you to create new goals!

Whatever it may be, once you recognise an opportunity, it is important not to dismiss it (perhaps you may think it unrealistic or too hard). Instead, include it in your business plan and take advantage of it!

So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to review your business plan. 

What’s next?

  1. Join our Kick-Ass Tradies Facebook Group, for access to trade business specific conversations, tips and resources, plus a like-minded community of tradies.
  2. Book a 15-minute Game Plan Call with Andy, owner of Dr. DRiP plumbing and co-founder of Lifestyle Tradie, to clarify your priorities and get clear action steps.