Even in the best of times, when the economy is strong and business is booming, you need to have a plan in place for how you are going to reach your revenue and profit goals.
In order to do that you need to understand the relationship between revenue, profit, and the tactics that you will employ.
And that requires two inter-linking plans.
To hit your revenue and profit goals, link the numbers to the actions that will deliver them. Know what each sale is worth, know what it costs to win it, and review both every month. If you want to look at the profit side more closely, have a read of the profitability improvement guide for SMB owners. There is also a general page on strategic planning on Wikipedia.
