There is nothing as fulfilling as reaching a major milestone, a mountain peak, or a lifelong achievement. Whether you are launching a product, or service, or planning a surprise party for a colleague, SMART Goals will help you a great deal.
In this article, we are going to define the SMART goals framework, and how it can add value and transform your marketing efforts. Also, you can use download a free SMART goals worksheet to help your team and business build a firm true north for your next project. Firstly, we will define SMART goals and briefly then outline the process of creating your SMART goals. This is a handy guide that will help you on the go.
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SMART Goals The SMART acronym is a framework that will enable you to write goals that drive greater impact. |
What is a SMART Goal?
Your goals are an important key to a successful project, especially in marketing. Not having clear a goal is like running a race without a finish line, and can make work feel like an endless grind. In other words, a moving target is bound to eventually affect team morale, deplete company resources, and negatively affect the bottom line of your business. Also, no clear goal means you do not know if you have hit the mark, or you are a light year away from your success and growth.
To make the most of your setting goal exercise you need to make sure the goals are SMART. Making a SMART goal is an effective approach for clarifying motivations and setting your true north for you and your team. With a clear direction, you have a firm foundation and you are one step closer to celebrating your next achievement before the project starts.
SMART Goal-Setting Worksheet
Start making SMART goals with the free worksheet below.
Why are SMART Goals Important?
Generally, goals are a powerful ingredient and lead us to be effective in all our project efforts. Even though goals are essential to the success of a campaign or project, they are worthless when they are not in touch with reality. In other words, when they are not SMART, they are just like that dreaded workshop you have to attend. The SMART goals framework ensures that your goals represent a perceivable outcome of success relative to the resources at your disposal.
SMART Goals
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Relevant
- Time-Bound
Specific
A common mistake many people make is to set out too many broad goals. These goals tend to be very general and don't really provide much direction. They're often based around things like 'I want to lose weight or 'I want to save money. But there's nothing wrong with having lots of small goals; it's just important that you keep track of them. And once you've met those goals, you can start setting bigger ones.
The problem with setting too many goals is that it's easy to become overwhelmed. You could end up doing loads of stuff without ever achieving anything. Instead, try breaking down your goals into smaller chunks. This makes it easier to see where you're making progress and gives you something to aim for every day.
For example, let's say you want to write a book. Maybe you'd like to write a novel or maybe you'd prefer to do a short story. Whatever you decide, you can break down your overall goal into several smaller sub-goals. For instance, you might decide to write 500 words per day, three days a week. Or perhaps you'd rather focus on writing for 10 minutes each morning and evening.
Whatever works best for you, remember that it's better to have fewer, more detailed goals than lots of vague ones. Otherwise, it becomes difficult to measure whether you're meeting your goals or not.
Measurable
The most important thing about setting goals is having measurable objectives. If you don't know what you are measuring, you won't know whether you're making progress or not. And without knowing whether you're making progress, you won't know if you've achieved success or failure.
This article walks you through the process of creating measurable goals and explains why they are essential. You'll learn how to set up your goals, how to break them down into smaller chunks, and how to track your progress along the way.
Attainable
Goals are only worthwhile if they are attainable. That means that you need to set yourself targets that are realistic. It also means that you need to work towards these goals in a way that allows you to succeed.
If you set yourself unattainable goals, then you may spend all your time trying to meet them but never actually getting anywhere. On the other hand, if you set yourself too low a goal, then you may feel disappointed when you fail to achieve it. So, think carefully before you set your goals. Make sure that they are both realistic and achievable.
Relevant
Goals vs. "Fun" Goals
Goals are important because they keep us motivated and focused throughout our day. They give us something to work towards, and we tend to do better when we know what we're working toward. However, there's a fine line between having fun and achieving success, especially when it comes to setting goals. Fun goals might make you feel good, but they won't necessarily lead to measurable progress. On the other hand, relevant goals could actually help you achieve real results. Here are some examples of each type of goal.
Timely
A recent study found that having short-term goals helped people focus on what needed to happen immediately rather than focusing on longer-term objectives. This is because short-term goals provide immediate gratification whereas longer-term ones don't necessarily deliver the same level of satisfaction.
The researchers found that those who had set shorter-term goals were able to stick to them much better than those who had set longer-term goals. They also found that setting shorter-term goals allowed individuals to feel more motivated and satisfied with their performance.
This makes sense since we tend to put less effort into something that doesn't seem like it'll pay off right away. However, if you set a goal that seems too big, you might find yourself getting distracted and losing interest. On the other hand, if you set a smaller goal that you know you're capable of achieving, you'll be more likely to succeed.
Download the SMART goals worksheet
Conclusion
In conclusion, I know, that before taking the step, of making your goal a SMART goal, you are likely to procrastinate and come up with all the excuses in the world. However, remember this, once your goals are SMART, you are one step closer to you and your team celebrating yet another milestone that moves the needle and impacts the company’s bottom line. Happy SMART goals setting.
