The Key To Aligning IT Strategy with Business Growth Objectives

We often hear disgruntled IT managers complaining about the lack of investment in IT strategy. Executives simply are not so keen to put money into assets they view as a “cost.”

The good news is, we have found a way to help IT professionals convince decision-makers that the advantage of an IT strategy is worth the investment.

Essentially, IT strategy fosters business growth. The idea is to help boardroom executives recognise how you can use your IT infrastructure as a money spinner.

Not so long ago, McKinsey published a research paper that showed businesses with high-performing IT infrastructures rake in as much as 35% more revenue than firms that have not invested. The profit margins were, on average 10% higher.

This is tidy statistic to show executives. But you know they will ask why.

Let me tell you the why!

How do you sell an IT Strategy that fosters business growth?

In the digital age, aligning IT strategy with business growth objectives is a practical requirement for organisations that intend to scale, diversify, or compete in increasingly complex markets.

Where do you start?

Forward-looking organisations begin with growth intent, not technology.

Whether the objective is market expansion, customer acquisition, or portfolio diversification, growth projects have specific demands on systems, data, and operating models.

For example, diversification demands modular platforms that allow new products or services to be launched without destabilising the core business.

When IT strategy is anchored to these realities, investment discussions move away from “cost” and toward “capability.”

How can an IT Strategy eliminate or lower risks

Business–IT alignment depends on governance as much as vision. Effective organisations establish formal mechanisms that connect strategic planning with technological solutions.

Governance ensures that technology investments are prioritised according to business value, risk reduction, and long-term scalability over short-term operational pressure.

Show boardroom executives how governance supports control, accountability, and a reduction in execution risk — critical factors when approving growth-oriented investment.

How often should you revisit an IT Strategy?

There’s no right or wrong answer to this question, but as a rule of thumb, six-month reviews are useful. However, timing can be dependent on changes that affect your business; i.e issue with supply chain, customer demands, geopolitical influences etc.

Strategic planning cycles are the bridge between ambition and execution. Rather than treating IT as an annual budgeting exercise, mature organisations operate rolling multi-year roadmaps that evolve alongside business strategy.

These roadmaps articulate where the organisation is today, what capabilities are required to support future growth, and how technology initiatives will be sequenced over time.

Importantly, they also make dependencies explicit: which growth objectives are constrained by legacy systems, where technical debt limits agility, and what risks arise if modernisation is deferred.

This clarity enables executives to see IT investment as an enabler of strategic optionality rather than a discretionary expense.

Managed IT Support in London

For IT managers leveraging boardroom buy-in, the most persuasive arguments are framed in business terms.

Rather than leading with tools or platforms, effective leaders articulate outcomes: faster market entry, smoother acquisitions, improved resilience etc.

Ultimately, aligning IT strategy with business growth is about demonstrating that technology is not reacting to change, but shaping it.

For example, working alongside managed IT support in London gives you the ability to scale without proportional cost increases. You get access to IT specialists without the extensive payroll costs.

Quantifying opportunity costs — such as delays, integration failures, or security exposure — further strengthens the case.

When IT strategy is presented as a structured response to growth ambition, investment decisions become far less contentious.

If you need more ammo, check out our previous blog titled IT Strategy Solutions To Help Your Business Grow.