As a small business owner, you know that you need to set solid marketing goals. Goal setting can seem like a complicated task when you aren’t sure what you need to get the results you are looking for.
When you are deciding what your marketing goals are, the more specific those goals are the more predictable your results can be.
Set your Marketing goals the SMARTER way!
Here is a simple beginners guide to goal setting good marketing goals. Just follow each step and repeat as many times as you need to foster continued growth in your marketing results.
Specific
Define what you want. Ask yourself, “can I be more specific?” If you can, revise until you have a very clearly defined goal.
Measurable
Marketing goals should be numeric and measurable. It is not enough to say, “I want more leads to my website.” How many leads do you need to generate more customers?
Actionable
Is this goal something that you have the resources necessary to act on right now or in the very near future? If you don’t, is getting access to those resources possible? If you cannot take immediate action, you may want to re-evaluate this goal or decide that it may be a future goal instead of a current goal.
Realistic
Think about the steps or resources you would need to achieve your goal. Do you need to hire a contractor? Increase your staff? Make sure that your goal is realistic and attainable given the time, money, and resources that you have.
Time-bound
Set a goal date! Giving yourself a specific date in which to attain you goal is important to creating the momentum you need to get results when you need them.
Evaluate
Constant evaluation of your goals is essential to growth. Any changes in your business needs calls for an evaluation of your goals.
Re-Calculate
Once you reach your goal, it’s time to set a new one! Constantly setting fresh marketing goals sets your business in the right direction—growth!
Make Your Marketing Goals Practical
More than anything, don’t set marketing goals that feel impossible. If you set marketing goals that are too large for a near-future timeframe, it’s going to feel like you’ll never get there. That discouragement kills momentum.
If you are struggling with defining what you want to get out of your marketing strategy, here are some helpful questions to ask yourself as you set and plan each of your marketing goals:
- Is this goal something realistically something I can take immediate action on?
- How close have I come to these goals in the past? What actions were being taken at that time?
- Are the numbers, the timeframe, and the income goals practical?
- What is my competition doing? How is their marketing similar and how do they differ?
- Is your mind in the right place? Do you feel confident that these goals can be achieved?
Effective goal setting is important in every area of business, and developing your marketing goals shouldn’t be any different. Take the time to define what results your business is striving for and clearly define what steps you need to take to get there. I promise it will be time well spent!
