SWAT Your Business

Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to reconnect with the very talented Randy Nichols. Randy shared how to build your organization with SWAT.

Don't confuse this with SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats).

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SWAT is the acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Action Items and Priorities, Timeline.

You can use SWAT to build a plan, or to keep your marketing on track.

The marketplace changes very quickly these days.  We no longer build annual marketing plans. We build proposed annual marketing plans, and implement them in pieces as it (still) makes sense. SWAT can help.

Choose a schedule to SWAT your business.  Your industry will indicate whether it is a quarterly (or less), biannual, or annual process.

• Strengths - Have your strengths changed -- gotten stronger or weaker?  Are there new strengths on the horizon?  Is there a competitor strength you need to watch?  Are any of your strengths also a weakness?
• Weaknesses - Have your weaknesses changed?  Are there new weaknesses on the horizon?  Is there a competitor weakness on which you can capitalize?  
• Action Items / Priorities - Based on your strength/weakness review, revisit your action items.  Do you need to make changes?  If so, do it. Re-prioritize your action items.
• Timeline - This is the most important part of the process. Create your timeline and stay accountable to it.

I appreciate Randy's SWAT process.  I think it will be a valuable tool in my marketing planning.  I hope you find it helpful, too.