Annual Planning for Veterinary Practice Owners: Where to Start
Veterinary ownership comes with a million moving pieces, but if you want to grow intentionally, not just reactively, annual planning is non-negotiable. Think of it like prepping for surgery: you don’t just walk into the OR and figure it out as you go. You check vitals. You review the history. You map out every step for the best possible outcome. Annual planning is how you protect your team, optimize your operations, and build a practice that thrives year after year.
At GeniusVets, we’ve worked with hundreds of practice owners who have felt stuck in survival mode. But here’s the good news: with the right approach and the right partner, you can build a strategy that transforms your business without burning out.
Let’s walk through how to start your planning, what to focus on, and where the GeniusVets team can support your next chapter.
Step 1: Take Inventory of Your Current Year
Before you set new goals, you need to understand what worked (and what didn’t) this year.
Ask yourself:
- What were our biggest wins?
- Where did we fall short?
- What surprised us?
- What drained our time, energy, or budget?
Start with a data-driven review of your marketing, team structure, appointment flow, and client retention. The GeniusVets Marketing Health Exam can be a powerful resource here. It shows you how your online presence stacks up, how discoverable your practice is, and where you’re leaving opportunities on the table.
Genius Tip From Dr. Michele Drake: “You can’t scale in chaos. Take time at the end of the year to slow down, get clear, and then build from a place of purpose.”
Step 2: Set Goals That Actually Matter
Growth for the sake of growth isn’t a strategy. Define what success looks like to you and your team.
Do you want to:
- Fill a new DVM’s schedule?
- Increase wellness plan enrollment?
- Improve team communication and culture?
- Expand your practice?
Whatever your goals, get specific and align them with metrics you can actually track.
Genius Tip from David Hall: “The most successful practice owners aren’t just reacting to today’s problems, they’re designing their next 12 months with intention. That’s what separates growth from burnout.”
Step 3: Map Your Client Journey
You wouldn’t treat every patient the same, and you shouldn’t treat every client interaction the same either.
Consider the full client journey:
- Discovery (Google searches, ads, social media)
- Consideration (website, reviews, referrals)
- Booking (online requests, phone calls)
- Visit (first impressions, staff communication)
- Follow-up (reminders, education, rebooking)
Each step needs support from marketing, operations, and team training. The GeniusVets team specializes in connecting those dots so your systems work together seamlessly.
Step 4: Align Your Team Around the Plan
Goals mean nothing without buy-in. Make annual planning a collaborative process, not just a leadership meeting behind closed doors.
Include your team in vision-setting sessions. Ask for their input. What roadblocks are they facing? What ideas do they have to improve client experience? Continue to ask for feedback from your team throughout the year.
Then, build accountability into your plan:
- Monthly leadership huddles to check in on goals
- Quarterly benchmarks to track progress
- A shared document or dashboard for visibility
Genius Tip from Dr. Michele Drake: “If the team doesn’t understand the ‘why,’ they’ll never care about the ‘how.’ Invite them into the mission.”
Step 5: Build a Marketing Strategy That Works With You
This is where many practices struggle. They either don’t have a plan, or they treat marketing as an afterthought. A strong marketing strategy should support your practice goals, not sit on a to-do list that never gets done.
That’s where GeniusVets comes in. From content to campaigns to client retention, we build comprehensive strategies that align with your goals, team bandwidth, and budget.
With the GeniusVets platform, you get:
- A veterinary-optimized website that converts
- Social media and blog content built by industry experts
- A complete Google Ads strategy (with 5x+ ROI for many clients)
- Local SEO, review management, and analytics dashboards
- A team who speaks veterinary and actually understands your business
Step 6: Identify Operational Gaps
Maybe your marketing is strong, but your front desk is drowning. Maybe you have great doctors, but poor delegation systems. Annual planning is your chance to close those gaps.
Look at:
- Scheduling inefficiencies
- Team training or turnover
- Inventory management
- Client communication workflows
You don’t need to solve everything at once, but you do need to name what’s not working.
Step 7: Plan for the Unplannable
Yes, this sounds ironic. But you’ve been in practice long enough to know that curveballs happen, including staffing shortages, economic changes, and personal emergencies.
Build flex time and contingency plans into your annual roadmap. This creates breathing room when life (inevitably) interrupts business.
Don’t Wait for January
One of the biggest mistakes we see? Practice owners are waiting until January to start planning. By then, you’re already behind.
Use Q4 as your launchpad. Carve out time to review, reflect, and rebuild. Get your team aligned. Map out your marketing. Set your KPIs. And book that GeniusVets strategy call before the ball drops.
“We’re here to help you plan like the visionary you are, not just the technician you used to be.” — The GeniusVets Team
Ready to Start Planning?
Here’s your next move: Book your free Marketing Health Exam, let’s build the future of your practice—together.