Financial objectives -- for example, to increase turnover or reduce operating costs by 5% this year. Strategic objectives -- for example, to increase the number of corporate clients by 20% within two years. Operational objectives -- for example, to increase output by 10% within six months. Marketing objectives -- for example, to increase total sales to existing customers by 10% next year. Social/Environmental objectives -- for example, decreasing your carbon footprint by 5% each year for three years. Holding a staff brainstorming session is a good way to benefit from their expert knowledge and gain their support for your business goals and objectives. Depending on the size of your business, you might hold only one brainstorming session, or several, to cover the objectives for various business units. Keep your goals realistic and pertinent to current general economic conditions and your specific industry conditions. For example, in a period of global economic downturn, it's more effective to look at ways to decrease costs than to increase sales. Identify your strategy Use your business plan to outline the steps needed to achieve the goals and objectives you have identified. This in turn will direct the day-to-day operations of your business. Each of your business goals will need a plan of action that needs to be followed to achieve the objective. As a rule of thumb, your strategy will outline the most practical and cost-effective way to achieve each objective. It will detail any extra equipment or personnel that might be required. Forecast