Creating Growth Action Plans

A Growth Action Plan transforms your business goals into concrete, actionable steps. Rather than having aspirations without direction, action plans give you a clear roadmap to achieve your objectives.

What Is a Growth Action Plan?

A Growth Action Plan is a structured set of tasks and activities designed to help you achieve specific business goals. It breaks down large objectives into manageable steps with clear ownership and deadlines.

Why Action Plans Work

Action plans are effective because they:

Convert abstract goals into concrete tasks
Create accountability through deadlines
Provide clear direction for daily activities
Enable progress tracking at a granular level
Help prioritise competing demands

Accessing Your Action Plans

Navigate to /growth from your dashboard
Select the Action Plans section
View existing plans or create new ones
Track progress on active plans

Creating an Action Plan

Step 1: Choose Your Goal

Start with a clear objective:

Select an existing goal from your goals list
Or define a new objective for your action plan
Ensure the goal is specific and measurable

Step 2: Break It Into Actions

Divide your goal into discrete tasks:

List everything that needs to happen
Group related tasks together
Ensure each action is specific and achievable
Order tasks logically

Step 3: Set Deadlines

Assign timeframes to each action:

Estimate how long each task will take
Set realistic deadlines
Build in buffer time for unexpected delays
Align with your overall goal deadline

Step 4: Assign Ownership

Determine who is responsible:

Assign each action to a specific person
Ensure they have capacity and capability
Communicate expectations clearly
Confirm understanding and commitment

Building Effective Action Plans

Make Actions Specific

Good action items are clear and concrete:

Effective: "Update website homepage with new photos by 15 February"
Ineffective: "Improve website"

Keep Actions Achievable

Each task should be completable:

Break large tasks into smaller steps
Ensure required resources are available
Set realistic timeframes
Consider dependencies

Create Logical Sequences

Order tasks appropriately:

Identify which tasks depend on others
Schedule dependent tasks after their prerequisites
Allow time between related tasks
Group tasks that can happen in parallel

Build in Checkpoints

Include review points:

Weekly progress reviews
Mid-plan assessments
Final completion review
Lessons learned capture

Sample Action Plan Structure

Goal: Increase direct bookings by 25%

Phase 1: Research (Week 1-2)

Review current booking sources and conversion rates
Analyse competitor booking processes
Identify barriers to direct booking
Survey recent customers about booking experience

Phase 2: Improvements (Week 3-6)

Simplify website booking process
Add compelling calls-to-action
Create direct booking incentives
Improve mobile booking experience

Phase 3: Promotion (Week 7-10)

Launch direct booking campaign
Email past customers with offers
Update social media with booking links
Add booking prompts to all touchpoints

Phase 4: Review (Week 11-12)

Measure direct booking changes
Gather customer feedback
Calculate campaign ROI
Plan next phase of improvements

Tracking Action Plan Progress

Updating Task Status

Keep your action plan current:

Open your action plan
Update task status as you work
Mark completed tasks as done
Note any blockers or delays

Status Options

Track each action as:

Not started: Planned but not begun
In progress: Currently being worked on
Blocked: Waiting on something
Completed: Finished successfully

Progress Visibility

Your action plan shows:

Overall completion percentage
Tasks by status
Upcoming deadlines
Overdue items

Managing Action Plan Challenges

When Tasks Are Blocked

If an action can't proceed:

Mark the task as blocked
Note the reason for the block
Identify what's needed to unblock
Create an action to resolve the blocker

When Deadlines Slip

If you're falling behind:

Assess the impact on the overall goal
Determine if deadlines can be adjusted
Identify what caused the delay
Adjust remaining timeline if needed

When Priorities Change

If circumstances shift:

Review the action plan against new priorities
Adjust, pause, or cancel as appropriate
Communicate changes to involved parties
Update your goals accordingly

Connecting Action Plans to Goals

Goal-Linked Plans

Each action plan should connect to a goal:

Actions contribute to goal progress
Completing actions moves goal forward
Goal metrics are updated by action completion

Multiple Plans per Goal

Larger goals may need multiple action plans:

Break into phases or themes
Create separate plans for each area
Link all plans to the main goal
Track combined progress

Best Practices

Start Small

Begin with manageable action plans:

5-10 actions maximum for your first plan
Short timeframe (2-4 weeks)
Clear, achievable objective
Build complexity as you learn

Review Regularly

Keep plans active and current:

Weekly check-in on progress
Update statuses promptly
Address blockers quickly
Celebrate completions

Learn and Improve

Use each plan to improve:

Note what worked well
Identify what could be better
Apply learnings to future plans
Share insights with your team

Stay Flexible

Adapt plans as needed:

Circumstances change
New information emerges
Priorities shift
Be willing to adjust

Getting Started

Ready to create your first action plan?

Go to /growth and select Action Plans
Click Create New Action Plan
Select or define your goal
Add your first few actions
Set deadlines and get started

Remember: An imperfect plan that you execute is better than a perfect plan that stays on the shelf. Start now, learn as you go, and refine your approach over time.