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An
Easy-to-Use Continuous Improvement Model Based On A SWOT
Analysis
The
most effective and efficient continuous improvement model for real
estate marketing.
Conventional
Approaches To Continuous Improvement
As
a business concept, continuous improvement can trace its roots to the
'quality' movement of the 1980s and1990s.
At that time, large
corporations and business organizations jumped on the 'quality'
bandwagon that had been so effective in rebuilding the Japanese
economy following the second world war.
As
a result, most approaches to continuous improvement have been
developed, promoted & implemented by specialized consultants.
For
the most part, this reliance upon costly consultants has meant that
many potentially useful continuous improvement resources have been
unavailable to people who are self employed or run their own small
businesses.
Happily,
there is another consulting tool that easily lends itself hep you
continue to improve.
That
tool is the SWOT analysis.
A
SWOT-based Continuous Improvement Model
SWOT
is consultant-speak for:
Strengths:
these personal factors
that will help you achieve your desired
results
Weaknesses:
these personal factors
will interfere, possibly even prevent you from
achieving your desired results
Opportunities:
these external
factors can help you achieve your desired results
Threats:
these external
factors might interfere, possibly even prevent you
from achieving your desired results
Like opportunities, these are external
factors over which you have
little or no control.
However, when dealing with threats, you can...and must...take
whatever action is necessary to minimize, if not eliminate any
negative impact on your continuous improvement.
Threats could be:
new market developments
increased competition
loss of training resources, clients, support staff
3
Steps To Applying This Continuous Improvement Model
Step
1: Identify--
personal
factors
will help you
continue to improve
personal
factors
will interfere
with or even prevent you from continuing to improve
external
factors
which you can
however take advantage of in order to continue to improve
external factors which might prevent
you from continuing to improve
When identifying
these factors, do
not limit yourself to examples listed above. Identify as many factors
as possible that apply to you.
Step
2: Prioritize these factors according their--
importance
AND urgency
urgency
importance
Develop
and use your own criteria for defining importance and urgency.
Step
3: Take Action--
to improve as much as you can,
continuously and
using the fewest resources possible.
By
following these three steps you will have the most effective and
efficient continuous improvement possible...without
spending
any money on consultants' fees.
It is worth noting that this same approach to continuous improvement
will also help you achieve greater success beyond work.
Ultimately you will want success in both your work and your
personal lives.
In many cases, a follow-up system is the best and
easiest place to start to apply your model for continuous improvement.
Not
only will it help distinguish you from the competition, it
will
help you convert more prospects to clients, better serve your
existing clients...and generate more referrals.
In
many cases, it can be more effective to arrange for third
party
assistance in addressing continuous improvement issues.
In addition to being more objective about your business than you can
be, a consultant or coach an help you complete your SWOT
analysis as effectively and efficiently as possible.