Definition of Strategy and Strategic Planning, Part 1

Any definition of strategy and strategic planning should include taking a proactive approach that evaluates all activities based on how well the activity moves the business toward its core goal. Specifically, strategies are plans for reaching objectives and goals.
The core goal is the major long-term destination planned for the businesses. Objectives are short-term steps in moving the business toward that destination. All activities or tactics should support an objective, and all objectives should support the goal.
This type of strategic planning insures that activities for which the business spends its resources all contribute to goal and objectives. But strategic planning involves much more than this. It involves planning a campaign to reach each objective to assure that the business progresses toward its goal.
Each strategy should:• relate to a specific objective,• involve an integrated program of specific tactics to accomplish the objective,• be specific for the target public,• be integrated and mutually reinforcing in the overall campaign,• develop an action and communication plan for the target public.
Strategic planning requires continuous and systematic research from business records and from industry statistics, the market situation and current trends. It also requires a situation analysis at each step or objective leading to the goal. This analysis includes qualitative and quantitative assessments of the current situation, the business problem, potential difficulties if the problem persists and other difficulties related to the problem.
A good situation analysis will answer the following questions:
What is the source of the concern?What is the background of the problem?Where is this a problem?When is it a problem?What are the potential difficulties:-in solving the problem?-if the problem is not resolved?
The answers to these questions should be written in a problem statement.
Next, the target public should be defined and segmented. This includes developing a list of potential publics, including those affected by the problem and those who need to be motivated to aid in the problem resolution.
Then identify the target public for the campaign from the list and note other publics who have an influence on the target public. These are called intervening publics or intermediate publics for the campaign.
Finally identify all known facts (demographics) about the target public and infer from those facts personality (psychographic) and behavioral characteristics. This is accomplished through segmenting and if done correctly reveals a small list of characteristics that will be most effective in communication with and relating to the public.