You have a vision for your small business, but do you know how you’re going to achieve it? You know where you want to be, but do you know how to get there? Are you flying by the seat of your skinny jeans, or actively scheming and planning?
Goal setting gets a lot of hype in the corporate world. But when you’re not on a Forbes list, it has a way of falling by the wayside. That doesn’t mean you get a pass, either. Instead, it means you need to work even harder to set (and achieve) your marketing goals.
Looking to establish your targets? We have some advice.
Get Familiar With SMART Goals
Are your goals SMART? No, we’re not questioning your intelligence. SMART is an acronym that tells you the goals you set should be:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Time-bound
All your marketing goals should meet every one of these requirements. For example, your goal may be to “increase conversions.” That may be measurable (you converted more than last year), achievable (because even one more conversion would satisfy the goal) and realistic (because one more conversion isn’t outside the realm of possibility). But it needs to be more specific (which conversions?, and it’s definitely not time-bound (by when?).
A better goal? “Increase email-based conversions by 10% by June 1 of next year.”
Now we’re talking!
Prioritize Your Needs
Now that you know how to set goals, it’s time to set a bazillion of them, right? Let’s make X more dollars. Let’s get Y more Twitter followers. Let’s boost add revenue by Z.
Not so fast! Taking on too many marketing goals at once almost guarantees failure. The more goals you set, the less time you have to devote to each of them individually.
Instead, prioritize your needs. What should be dealt with first? Is it more important to increase your click-through rate or your social media engagement? Do you need to focus on your voice search efforts or your live events? What will impact your small business the most right now?
Make a list of short-, medium- and long-term goals, then choose one from each category to work on at a time. Anything more than that, and you’re inviting disaster.
Hold Yourself Accountable
Setting goals is easy. Seeing them through to completion is much more difficult, but accountability is a critical component of goal setting.
Regularly check in with yourself on your progress. Better yet, share your marketing goals with your team and hold regular accountability meetings. Discuss what’s been done and what’s still up in the air. Talk about what’s working well and what’s not working at all. Brainstorm possible solutions.
“Set it and forget it” doesn’t work with goals. You need to be actively engaged in seeing your goals through to completion if you hope to (eventually) check them off your list.
Celebrate Your Successes
All work and no play makes everyone (especially the boss) grumpy. You don’t have to wait until a goal has been completed to celebrate; instead, set regular milestones to reward yourself and your team along the way.
These rewards don’t have to be huge. Maybe it’s coffee and donuts in the break room or ice cream sundaes after lunch. Maybe it’s just a pat on the back and a sincere “thanks for helping us get this far!”
As long as you celebrate mini-milestones in a thoughtful way, it will increase team morale and let everyone know that their efforts are appreciated. And when people feel appreciated, they’re more willing to go the extra mile in the future!
What Are Your Marketing Goals?
Without goals, you’re flying blind. With them, you’re heading for the finish line! When you prioritize your SMART goals, practice accountability and make time to celebrate your successes, your small business is ahead of the game!
Not big on goal setting? No problem! Mischa Communications can look at your overall marketing strategy, point out the areas that need attention and help you come up with a plan. We’re ready when you are!