If you’ve spent any time working on strategy, you’ll know it’s all too easy to get bogged down in detail or default to “how do we deliver?” before considering “why should we win?”. That’s where the strategic planning model proves invaluable—a well-established framework developed by the Australian Government in the late 1980s and embraced by Mindshop for more than 30 years, continuing to deliver impressive results for those committed to achieving high performance.

Let’s break it down in plain English. The heart of the model is your Sustainable Competitive Advantage (SCA). This isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s the unique edge that sets you apart in your market. The trick is to know it, live it, and let it drive every big strategic decision you make. If you try to be great at everything, you’ll end up being average. Make your winning position crystal clear. Here are some examples:

From Advantage to Action

Once you’ve nailed down your SCA, you can craft a marketing strategy that actually promises something meaningful to your customers. Think of it as your public commitment—not just fluffy words, but a focus that shapes every campaign, customer promise, and product pitch.

But a promise is only as good as your ability to deliver on it. That’s where your operations strategy steps up—how you provide your products or services in line with your competitive advantage. If your unique edge is low-cost air travel, for instance, your operations will be all about efficiency and keeping expenses rock-bottom. If you’re all about luxury, you’ll deliver comfort and service every step of the way. The point is: the operations must match the promise made in your marketing.

Don’t Forget the Enablers

Here’s where many organisations go off track—by making decisions from the bottom up or trying to let finance take the lead. The strategic planning model flips the sequence, making sure innovation, HR (people), and finance strategies enable your operational delivery rather than drive it. You’ll need creative thinking to overcome obstacles, great staff to build relationships and deliver services, and solid finance to keep the wheels turning.

• Innovation: Whether it’s R&D, energy management, or creative new offerings, innovation is what keeps you ahead.
• HR/People: It’s not just recruitment—it’s performance, development, and retention.
• Finance: The nuts and bolts—cashflow, costs, financial arrangements—but always in service of the big picture.

Some examples

Here are just a few examples of how a sustainable competitive advantage impacts the marketing and operational strategies and how your financial, HR and Innovations strategies enable your operational delivery:

• Exceptional Customer Service:  If your edge is outstanding service, your marketing will champion reliability and care, and your operations will focus on fast response times, personal attention, and empowered staff who can solve issues on the spot.
• Speed and Convenience:
  For businesses promising speedy delivery (think express couriers or fast-food chains), marketing hypes “delivery in under an hour,” while operations streamline logistics, optimise supply chains, and leverage technology for efficiency.
• Customisation and Personalisation:
  If bespoke solutions are your edge, your marketing offers “tailored to you,” and operations gear towards flexibility, modularity, and strong customer consultation processes.
• Geographical Reach or Accessibility:
  If you’re everywhere the customer needs you, your marketing emphasises “always local” or “open 24/7,” and operations invest in widespread locations, extended hours, and seamless online platforms.

Why It Works

All too often, the temptation is to start with what you can build and hope to find customers for it. The strategic planning model demands you work the other way round—identify what makes you unique, then build the strategies to deliver that promise to customers.

So, next time you’re thinking strategy, ask yourself:

• What’s our sustainable competitive advantage?
• How does our marketing strategy promise this edge to customers?
• Are our operations lined up to deliver on that promise?
• How are innovation, HR, and finance enabling the core strategy?

By following this logic, you’ll avoid drifting like a rudderless boat—and instead, steer a clear course towards success that’s sustainable, focused, and truly competitive. Ready to take your team’s planning to the next level? Take a guess at the competitive advantage of one of your suppliers or a rival in your market. What should their marketing and operations strategies really look like if they want to win? It’s a great exercise—and may just reveal your own next moves.

Need Help with your Business, Bookkeeping, Tax or SMSF requirements?

If you would like a little help, please get in touch with us for assistance. We can help with your business, bookkeeping, tax and SMSF requirements.

Is your business as profitable and efficient as it could be? Take 5 minutes to complete this free survey and uncover your top 3 strengths and top 3 improvement opportunities across 10 key business drivers. You’ll also see how your performance stacks up against global benchmarks. Start now to pinpoint where to focus for better results here.

Please also note that many of the comments in this publication are general in nature and anyone intending to apply the information to practical circumstances should seek professional advice to independently verify their interpretation and the information’s applicability to their particular circumstances. Should you have any further questions, please get in touch with us for assistance with your SMSF, business, bookkeeping and tax requirements. All rights reserved. Based on content from Mindshop, a trusted resource for business advisors worldwide. Liability Limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.