Luck is for gamblers, not business. To be a calculated risk, rather than a gamble, a way has to be found to make it more predictable.

You have to create and follow a strategic marketing plan. In fact, every facet of your business, from the kind of soap you use, to how you answer the phone, should be thought of as part of marketing.

(Did you know that Starbucks spent two years developing a strategic marketing plan, with their consultants, before they began their now legendary expansion.)

But a plan is not enough, especially if it is never followed. To be able to predict reasonably well a couple of simple tools are needed and the skills to use them: skills that have been perfected for centuries using little more than pencil and paper.

First is projecting, taking an educated guess, based on a pretty good feel for the market and records from the recent past.

Second is keeping great records. Written records of what really happens. But only of those things that matter.

Third is looking at the difference between what happens and what was projected to happen. We call this learning.

Fourth is to adjust the projections to match what you have learned. The more you do it, the better you get at it.

Once you can predict with some accuracy, you have some control. With our OBRA™ and QAACP™ systems we can help.