Have you conducted a business SWOT review lately? This could be a really simple way to achieve big things before the year is over, so you can start 2026 with a feeling of terrific success.
I’m making the assumption that you’re familiar with the 30/60/90-day strategy for business goal planning. I recommend this system to help a business of any age and size to stay focused and take smaller steps towards the big end goal. I’d also like to recommend setting an overarching theme to the 90-day plan between now and New Year by using your business SWOT analysis to choose it.
Identifying your SWOTs
Knowing what your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats are, helps you plan your goals.
First of all, let’s look at the internal factors of your business.
Your strengths are those attributes that are helpful and push you towards achieving your objectives – they are the things you do well, without creating pain or stress. In contrast, your weaknesses are the opposite – those things that you know you’re not strong at, that you dread doing and may even lose you business.
The other two elements of a business SWOT review are also opposing factors, but are more likely to be external factors. What opportunities are represented so your business can grow, and what threatens your growth?
Pick a theme for the next 90 days
Develop and continue to build on your strengths
Whilst you may find there are certain tasks in your business you love doing and that you’re very good at doing, you must remain focused on growth and driving your business to where you ultimately want to be. Are those beloved tasks getting you closer to the end goal, or they distracting you? Are there other tasks you could be doing that are still strengths, but have a higher pay-off when they’re completed?
- Can you duplicate your strengths in a new area or platform?
- Can you employ someone with the same strengths to expand your reach?
- Look for opportunities that play to your strengths
- Could you rewrite your USP or value statement to better reflect your strengths?
Improve your weaknesses
Have you heard of the phrase, ‘eat the frog’? Actually facing your weaknesses may feel like eating a frog, but once you’ve done it, and improved or eradicated that weakness, you’ll be clearer headed and more focused.
Be honest about where you feel your weaknesses lie. You could even ask your customers, your team and staff where they see improvements could be made. And be aware that weaknesses may be in more than one area; skills, knowledge or behaviours for example.
- Gather constructive criticism and analyse the area most in need of improvement
- Research opportunities such as training, more time spent ‘at the coal face’, or find a support network
- Research outsources or automation that can fill gaps in your processes, knowledge or skills
- Consider employing someone or delegating to others, the tasks that are your weaknesses, but their strengths.
Exploit your opportunities
Are you missing out on opportunities because of a weakness? Are you exploiting the opportunities that come your way? These are the external factors that either come your way naturally or take a bit of research to find. So, are you making the most of them?
- Get informed about trends in your sector; emerging tech, customer behaviours, marketing tactics
- Create fresh customer avatars to ensure you’re still meeting their needs
- Try a new networking group or switch up your 60-second pitch, maybe put more effort into growing the group
- Is there anyone else in your business who can identify opportunities, take on some marketing or networking?
Be prepared to challenge your threats
There are always threats to business – be they competitors, political changes or internal threats from staff or yourself. The best way to defend your business against a threat is to identify and prepare.
- Conduct competitor, industry or supply chain research to look for potential threats
- Consider trends and meeting market demand with a new service or product
- Conduct customer satisfaction surveys to identify threats to your sales/loyalty
- Go through an IT audit to ensure you’re cyber-safe.
Which factor will be your theme for the next 90 days?
I believe these are all excellent factors to choose from, but whichever theme you choose to work on, ensure you challenge yourself a little, track your performance and learn from the outcomes.
I’m sure that with a bit of planning, these next 90 days will help you see in 2026 with a sense of satisfaction and well-earned knowledge of success.
I hope you will feel energised in January, and ready to begin the next 90 days with positivity!