​Now it’s time to roll up your sleeves and really dig in to the upcoming year by defining your Goals. Ideally, you should complete your upcoming strategic plan in the late third or early fourth quarter so that your practice can position itself for success in the upcoming year.

My office has our Strategic Plan retreat in September or October of each year. We have tried various ways of doing this, but what currently works well for us is a 24 hour event beginning on a Saturday afternoon. We sequester ourselves in a local hotel with a boardroom and work step by step through the Strategic Plan. We use the opportunity to do some team building and intersperse the hard work with fun activities as well. However you decide to do it, you need to have the time and space to allow for planning, focus, and creativity.

When you make goals, please be sure that they are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Sensitive). Ideally, they should be assigned to an individual for implementation.

Here are the goals we set for our practice in the past:

Goals (What; Annual)

• Achieve a 10 times ROI in all marketing events this year. Ashley
• Create video patient testimonials system by January. Ashley
• Trevor to have completed 3 public speaking events of 15-30 people by July.
• Actively use a budget in the practice by August. Tammy
• Jeff to complete Part 2 of Level 3 by October.
• Mylène to finish Level I by October NUCCA Conference.
• Mylène to achieve a consistent $1500 per SK Clinic.

• Capacity of 18 regular patients ($2250 if all adjusted)
• Target of 12 regular patients ($1500 if all adjusted)
• OVA $110 (takes into consideration quick checks and non-adjustments)

• Trevor to complete Level 2 by October.
• Rejuvenate website, which is also mobile friendly, by December. Ashley
• Create video stretches by December. Ashley

​
Have fun while you build your practice, increase your profits, and enjoy your life!
Dr. Jeff Scholten

Now that you’ve defined your Promise, Sandbox, and 3-5 year Targets, it’s time to identify the Key Thrusts/Capabilities of your business. Key Thrusts/Capabilities are the things you will work on that are attainable with your current skillset. As you funnel through this strategic planning process, remember that each level must reflect and be congruent with what was developed previously.

From my office’s Strategic Plan, our Key Thrusts are:

Key Thrusts/Capabilities:

1. A centralized balance of short, mid, and long term patient acquisition strategies.
2. Optimized accountability structure (all metrics monitored and assigned to an individual for monitoring and reporting) – RACI document to be reviewed annually in September with strategic planning.
3. Identify, utilize, and develop each team member’s strengths, goals, and aspirations.
4. Attract interns and chiropractic applicants through visibility at universities, chiropractic colleges, and within the profession.
5. Optimize book keeping (1 week delay).
6. Continue to develop a structured, simmering PR plan.
7. Have an effective web presence.

Have fun while you build your practice, increase your profits, and enjoy your life!
Dr. Jeff Scholten

​After you have defined the Threats and Opportunities your business faces, it is time to create a statement defining what you do in your community; your Promise.
 
Our Promise:  We help make your body a better place to live.
 
Building on that Promise as you continue to narrow your focus, create the Sandbox you are going to play in by defining your niche in your community.
 
Sandbox: The go-to practice for professional referrals in Calgary when postural or neck related issues are present.
 
The next step is to create a direction for your practice that is more time sensitive... LOGIN TO READ MORE

Our next task in making a Strategic Plan is to identify the Threats and Opportunities that exist for your business. Consider the Opportunities that can facilitate your team creating a world where your core values are expressed and the Threats that could impede your success.

From my office’s Strategic Plan, our Threats & Opportunities are:

Threats

• Chiropractic has negative brand equity.
• People are unaware of NUCCA and skeptical of its benefits.
• Complacency occurs when people don’t identify with the future effects of their current health habits.
• Memories are fallible.
• People are unaware of the relationship between posture and health, and that it can be effectively improved.

Opportunities

• Many people are in pain and want relief.
• People want to feel better, look better, and live better.
• People want to age gracefully.
• Our care is gentle, effective, and requires less intervention.
• People are searching for new and different ways to solve their health concerns.
• Public perception can be changed.

​Dr. Jeff Scholten

​So far during our strategic planning overview we have covered Core Values, Purposes, and BHAGs. Our next step is to consider Actions.

From my office’s Strategic Plan, our Actions are:

• Participation in local, national, and international chiropractic organizations.
• Supporting the vitality of the human being.
• Contributing to the community in a manner that allows our practice to be the

go-to source for postural and neck health information.

When you think of creating your Actions, consider the things you will engage in to increase the likelihood that your Big Hairy Audacious Goals will come to fruition.

Have fun while you build your practice, increase your profits, and enjoy your life!
​Dr. Jeff Scholten