how to do a 90 day business plan

How to Create a 90-Day Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide

Written by Jon Covey
June 27, 2024
Performance

A 90-day plan is a powerful tool for individuals and businesses alike. It provides a clear roadmap for achieving specific goals within a set timeframe, ensuring focus, accountability, and measurable progress. Whether you’re a business owner, manager, or individual looking to make significant strides, this guide will walk you through the practical steps to create an effective 90-day plan.

Why a 90-Day Plan?

Before diving into the steps, it’s essential to understand why a 90-day plan is beneficial:

1. Focused Timeframe : 90 days is long enough to make substantial progress but short enough to maintain focus and urgency. This timeframe allows you to make significant strides without feeling overwhelmed or losing momentum.

2. Measurable Progress : A 90-day plan allows for regular check-ins and adjustments, ensuring you stay on track and can measure your progress. This helps you identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions.

3. Motivation : Breaking down larger goals into manageable chunks keeps you motivated and less overwhelmed. Achieving smaller milestones within the 90-day timeframe provides a sense of accomplishment and boosts morale.

Step 1: Define Your Goals

Identifying key objectives is the foundation of a successful 90-day plan. To define your goals, follow these steps:

Brainstorming Session : Set aside 30 minutes to an hour for a brainstorming session. Write down all the goals you want to achieve in the next 90 days. Don’t worry about their feasibility or priority at this stage.
SMART Goals : Review your list and refine each goal to make it specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). For example, instead of saying “increase sales,” aim for “increase sales by 15% within the next 90 days.”
Prioritisation : Not all goals are created equal. Prioritise them based on their impact and feasibility. Focus on a few high-impact goals rather than spreading yourself too thin.

How to Create a 90-Day Plan: Brainstorming Session

Let’s say you’re a marketing manager for an e-commerce company. Your brainstorming session yields the following goals:

Increase sales by 15%
Launch a new product line
Improve website user experience
Increase social media engagement

After refining and prioritising, your top three goals might be:

Increase sales by 15% within the next 90 days
Launch a new product line within the next 60 days
Improve website user experience by reducing bounce rates by 20% within the next 90 days

Step 2: Break Down Goals into Milestones

Breaking down your goals into manageable milestones is crucial for achieving success . Follow these steps:

Create Monthly Milestones : Divide your 90-day goals into three monthly milestones. This makes the goals more manageable and allows for regular progress checks.
Set Weekly Targets : Further break down your monthly milestones into weekly targets. This ensures you have a clear action plan for each week, keeping you on track and accountable.

Using the previous example, let’s break down the goal “increase sales by 15% within the next 90 days” into monthly milestones and weekly targets:

Monthly Milestones :

Month 1: Increase sales by 5%
Month 2: Increase sales by an additional 5%
Month 3: Increase sales by the final 5%

Weekly Targets :

Week 1-2: Launch a new marketing campaign and optimise product listings
Week 3-4: Analyse campaign results and adjust targeting
Week 5-6: Launch a promotional email campaign and offer limited-time discounts

How to Create a 90-Day Plan: Monthly Milestones

Step 3: Develop an Action Plan

An action plan outlines the specific steps you need to take to achieve your weekly targets. Follow these steps:

List Actionable Steps : For each weekly target, list the specific actions you need to take. These should be clear, actionable steps that contribute directly to your goals.
Assign Responsibilities : If you’re working with a team, assign responsibilities to ensure everyone knows their role. Clear delegation prevents overlap and ensures accountability.

Using the previous example, let’s develop an action plan for the weekly target “launch a new marketing campaign and optimise product listings”:

Actionable Steps :

Research and select a marketing automation tool
Create a campaign targeting high-value customers
Optimise product listings with high-quality images and detailed descriptions
Set up campaign tracking and analytics

Assign Responsibilities :

Marketing automation tool research: John
Campaign creation: Emily
Product listing optimization: David
Campaign tracking and analytics: Sarah

How to Create a 90-Day Plan: Action Plan

Step 4: Implement and Monitor Progress

Implementing your action plan and monitoring progress is crucial for achieving success. Follow these steps:

Use a Tracking System : Utilise a tracking system to monitor your progress. This could be a simple spreadsheet, a project management tool like Trello or Asana, or specialized software.
Regularly Update Progress : Regularly update your progress to stay on top of your goals.
Schedule Regular Check-Ins : Schedule weekly and monthly check-ins to review your progress. This allows you to celebrate successes, identify any roadblocks, and make necessary adjustments.

Using the previous example, let’s implement and monitor progress:

Tracking System : Use a project management tool like Trello to track progress and assign tasks to team members.
Regularly Update Progress : Update the Trello board weekly to reflect progress and adjust tasks as needed.
Schedule Regular Check-Ins : Schedule weekly meetings with the team to review progress, discuss challenges, and adjust the action plan.

Step 5: Adjust and Adapt

While it’s essential to stay committed to your goals, be prepared to adjust your plan as needed. Follow these steps:

Be Flexible : Be prepared to adjust your plan if you encounter unexpected challenges or opportunities.
Learn from Feedback : Use feedback from your progress reviews to improve your approach. Continuous learning and adaptation are key to achieving long-term success.

How to Create a 90-Day Plan: Adjust and Adapt

Using the previous example, let’s say you encounter an unexpected challenge:

Challenge : The marketing automation tool you selected is not integrating with your email service provider as expected.
Adjustment : Adjust the action plan to research alternative marketing automation tools that integrate with your email service provider.
Learning : Learn from the experience and document the challenges and solutions for future reference.

Tips for Staying Engaged and Motivated

Staying engaged and motivated is crucial for achieving success with your 90-day plan. Follow these tips:

Celebrate Small Wins : Recognise and celebrate small achievements along the way. This boosts morale and keeps you motivated to continue working towards your larger goals.
Stay Accountable : Share your 90-day plan with a mentor, coach, or accountability partner. Regular check-ins with someone else can provide additional motivation and support.
Visualise Success : Keep your end goals in mind and visualise your success. This mental imagery can be a powerful motivator, helping you stay focused and driven.

Using the previous example, let’s apply the tips:

Celebrate Small Wins : Celebrate the successful launch of the new marketing campaign and the optimisation of product listings.
Stay Accountable : Share the 90-day plan with a mentor and schedule regular check-ins to review progress and discuss challenges.
Visualise Success : Visualise the success of increasing sales by 15% and the impact it will have on the business.

Creating a 90-day plan is a strategic way to achieve your goals with clarity and purpose. By defining your objectives, breaking them down into manageable milestones, developing a detailed action plan, and regularly monitoring your progress, you can make significant strides in a short period.

Remember to stay flexible, celebrate your wins, and keep your eyes on the prize.

With dedication and a well-structured plan, success is within your reach.

Additional Resources

90-Day Plan Template : Download a 90-day plan template to help you get started.
Goal-Setting Worksheet : Use a goal-setting worksheet to help you define and refine your goals.
Project Management Tools : Explore project management tools like Trello, Asana , or Basecamp to help you track progress and stay organised.

By following these steps and tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful 90-day plan that helps you achieve your goals and drive success.