Operational Strategy: The Secret to Small Business Success

So many people worry about starting or marketing their business that they never question how to run it! Running a business requires more than just making money. It requires you to know all the steps you take to run your business and then optimizing those steps for efficiency!

"You can make all the money in the world, but end up losing it all with ineffective processes." C. Grey, CCG Founder

When you're ready to save the money you earn, create a Small Business Operational Strategy!

What is a Small Business Operational Strategy?

An operational strategy is a guide to identify the most lucrative and efficient way to conduct the day-to-day operational requirements to manage the products, services, and processes created during the build process.

Think of it like a roadmap for the actions that will make your products and services work.

How to Create a Small Business Operational Strategy

Before you can start strategizing, you need to know all of the things, or processes, that your business does. Do you need to do accounting, pay bills, write social media content, create your product, or deliver a product? The steps required to complete these items are all considered processes.

Identifying processes is based on what you need to do and the steps required to complete it. For example, the process to create and post new content could be to identify the content required (eg create a blog, Instagram Reel, or ad), conduct content research and planning, write and edit the content, review the content for accuracy, completeness, and accessibility, add branding, and then post.

Make sure to write the process at a specificity that an external person could complete the process and reach the same outcome as if you did it yourself.

Once you know all of the processes within your business, it's time to strategize.

Pro Tip: Eliminate any process that's not helpful. Don't be worried if you have many processes. It can seem overwhelming. You just want to make sure that all of the processes relate to your business goals. If not, think about whether the process is required.

Want to know more about processes? Here is the FREE Guide on Process Reviews and How to Complete them.

What Should be Included in A Small Business Operational Strategy?

The Small Business Operational Strategy should indicate what and how you plan to operate your business. It should collect your processes and show how they will be organized to meet your business goals. The strategy should also show how your processes will be monitored to make sure excellence is consistent.

What to include...

Objective	A purpose or goal that the operational strategy should meet. This should be a clear sentence that informs a third party exactly what the operational strategy is meant to do and for whom. A strong rule of thumb would be to include the 5 W's in the objective sentence.
Workstreams	Include the high-level projects or workstreams that are required for the operational strategy to operate as expected.
Tasks and Steps	Write out the overarching tasks and steps that are required for each workstream.
Operational Requirements	Include the number of employees, the type of workspace, timing, or other workplace requirements that are needed to fulfill the objective.
Budget	Identify the cost of starting, maintaining, and closing each workstream.
KPI and Thresholds	Set baseline KPIs and thresholds that will be used to manage and track the performance of each workstream.
Performance Plan	Identify how KPI will be monitored, at what frequency, by whom, and how. Include how quality control and quality assurance will be integrated.
Monitoring Plan	Identify how, and at what point action plans will be created and how they will be managed. Identify how performance will be monitored, at what frequency, by whom, and how. Identify how, and at what point action plans will be created and how they will be managed and remediated.
Risk Management Plan	Identify how risks will be identified and mitigated.
Compliance Plan	Identify how legal and operational requirements will be maintained to ensure a compliant environment.

Operational excellence helps keep the money you made in your pocket! If you have more questions, explore more in the CCG Learning Academy!