The importance of having SMART goals
You know what you want to achieve from your marketing plan – percentage sales increase/awareness – and you have drilled down into what it is you offer, what makes you different from your competitors and then you’ve clearly identified your target market and your price position in the market.
What next?
From your overarching aim with the plan we need to get to the specifics. It’s all about the “what you are going to do next”. Imagine it’s a grey, rainy Monday morning. You are feeling less than inspired. If you have a plan you can let that doing the thinking for you.
Remember that marketing can take creative thought, but it is also a process. The more you systemise what you do the easier it will be analyse and refine as appropriate.
To help specify your marketing goals use the SMART mnemonic
Specific – Numbers. How many. What would good look like? 10% increase of leads? 20%? The more specific you are the easier it will be to analyse.
Measurable – How will you measure? Can you put together a simple measuring tool? It needs to be easy to use. The more complex the less likely it will be used. Also, you want to avoid analysis paralysis. You just want to know your plan is working.
Achievable (or actionable) – Motivationally it is so important that you believe it’s possible to get the results you want. No one likes being set up to fail. If you prioritise the low hanging fruit – the easier wins – it will help you to build a good head of steam. Success breeds success.
Realistic (or relevant) – In line with achievable does your plan address all the issues and opportunities you need it to. The more cohesive the plan the better.
Timely – Tomorrow may never come. You need to be hard on yourself (or employ someone else to be) and implement the plan. Other distractions may potentially take away your time, but you need to be committed to actioning the plan in the realistic timescales you have given yourself.How can you expect the plan to work if you don’t give it the time and energy it needs?
Now the fun bit. The creative bit. What strategies will you adopt? Step 8.