It might just be me, but the onset of the chilly weather has me realising that Christmas is just around the corner – and with it, a New Year.

Speed has begun the planning process for 2011 with earnest, this week. With clients – and indeed, about our plans and ambitions as an agency, next year.

As Speed launched in 2009, at this point in time, last year, we had very little reference from the past year to guide in developing our 2010 strategy.  Put simply, we’ve been working hard and doing our best, but largely entering the unknown. So, it felt like a real luxury, this year, to be able to audit our development, identify our strengths and more importantly – our weaknesses.

I won’t go into all the areas we’ve scrutinised, but for any agency, I would say that taking time out to examine the following will allow for the development of a good strategy for growth.

- Client audit; what do your clients think about your strengths and areas that you could improve?
- How many new clients have you won
- Where did the referrals for the opportunities come from?
- What was the average amount of each new contract secured?
- Where is your organically generated additional revenue coming from?
- What is your pitch : new business win ratio?
- What is your opportunity : pitch ratio?
- Who are your real competitors in the eyes of your prospects?

Finally, once you have all the answers to the above, the crucial question that must be answered honestly, is whether the facts match up to the agency’s current expectations for the year ahead.  And if they don’t, what strategy needs to be implemented to close this gap?