Use SMART goals to grow your business

SMART goals are a simple but powerful tool that will take you past fuzzy goal setting to an actionable plan for results. This article will explain each element of the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely) and why they are vital to a full-funnel marketing plan.

Ready to use SMART goals to grow your business? Let’s look at a practical example that takes an objective from vague to SMART.

S: Specific

Great goals are defined and focused. The simplest method to set a specific goal is to ask and answer probing questions such as:

• What are we trying to do?
• Who is responsible?
• What steps are needed to achieve it?
• If achieved, what happens?

Instead of the vague "bring in more leads", let's add some specificity to Fran's plan.

Grow the number of qualified leads for BCorp. We will do this by optimizing the SEO of our website, creating fresh content, delivering targeted corporate advertising, and gathering leads into a CRM for nurturing.

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M: Measurable

We’re off to a great start, but a crucial element is missing: numbers. Always make sure your goal is measurable so you can track your progress and define success. How many leads does Fran want? How much content? To make the goal impactful, Fran needs hard data.

Grow the number of qualified leads for BCorp by 10 per week. We will do this by optimizing our blog posts with focus keywords, creating 2 new pieces of content weekly, delivering ads to 50 corporate targets monthly, and gathering leads into a CRM.

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A: Achievable

Goals must be realistic. If an objective is too lofty, your chances of failure are high. It’s time for a gut-check. Can you actually reach the numbers you set? Write down any risks or constraints, especially regarding team bandwidth or budget.

After a reality check, Fran realizes that 2 pieces of content weekly and 50 ad targets are too taxing on her current resources. She adjusts the volume to ensure business growth is actually attainable:

Grow the number of qualified leads for BCorp to 10 per week. We will do this by optimizing SEO, creating 1 new piece of content weekly, and delivering ads to 20 corporate targets monthly.

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R: Relevant

Why does this goal matter? Relevant means two things in the SMART framework: identifying a real benefit to achieving the goal, and considering market realities.

Fran identifies that BCorp has a long sales cycle. She clarifies the tangible business benefit of her action items:

[Previous steps included]... BCorp has a long sales cycle requiring multiple touchpoints. By executing this plan, we will increase brand awareness and position BCorp as an industry authority. Our nurturing process will then identify high-quality leads, resulting in improved conversions.

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T: Timely

Everything needs a deadline. A good goal has a specific window of time to measure success. How long does Fran have to hit that 10-leads-per-week milestone? By adding deadlines, Fran finalizes her plan.

Final SMART Goal: Grow the number of qualified leads for BCorp to 10 per week within 6 months from the start date. We will do this by:

• Optimizing the SEO of our blog posts and pages within 6 weeks of launch.
• Creating 1 new piece of valuable content weekly.
• Delivering targeted advertising to 20 corporate targets monthly.
• Gathering leads into a CRM for qualification and nurturing to improve long-term conversions.

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