So, you own a business that you love, but it’s not quite where you want it to be. You know the areas in which you want to improve, but you’re not sure how to get there. You’re not alone!
Goal setting is a deceptively tricky task. It’s not enough to have an end goal in mind; to reach your business goals, you need a plan to get there.
If you find yourself constantly setting goals and never achieving them, you’ve come to the right place. To learn how to create business goals you’ll actually reach, just keep reading!
Set SMART Goals
Setting your goals the right way is the key to reaching them. To set business goals you’ll actually achieve, the first step is to ensure that they’re SMART goals. This means your goal should be Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Sensitive.
For example, saying “I want to grow my social media presence” isn’t a good goal. It’s a great starting point, but it’s far too vague to be the final draft.
Instead, you might say, “I want to gain 100 followers on Instagram in the next three months. To do this, I will post daily, use hashtags, and devote 15 minutes a day to interacting with my audience.”
Don’t Overcommit
As tempting as it can be to write down every single goal you have and try to achieve them all at once, this is a fatal mistake if you want a successful business plan.
Now, it’s a good idea to write down all of your goals. However, you should then list them in order of importance and only focus on the top 1 or 2 at first. Once you’ve achieved those goals, you can move on to the next two and so on.
Track Your Progress
Once you make business goals, the importance of reminding yourself of those goals often cannot be overstated. Setting goals is great, but you’re far less likely to reach them if you write them down and never look at them again.
To ensure you’re keeping your goals at the forefront of your mind, track your progress! Remember, no matter what your goal looks like, it should be measurable. Use this measurement to track your benchmarks along the way.
If you need help creating a framework for your goals, take a look at https://archpointconsulting.com/ogsm-strategy-guide for some excellent guidance.
Share Your Goals
Sharing your goals can often be the difference between reaching them and allowing them to fall by the wayside. Setting goals and keeping them to yourself puts less power behind them. By telling other people, you’re putting weight into your goals, as you’ll feel more obligated to work toward reaching them.
Posting your goals to your social media is a great way to hold yourself accountable, but if you don’t feel comfortable doing that, you should at least have an accountability partner to lean on.
Stay Motivated to Reach Your Business Goals
At the end of the day, the most important part of setting business goals is to choose goals that motivate you. Don’t choose goals simply because someone told you it worked for them. Your goals don’t have to be the same as anyone else’s.
You’ll find it’s easier to reach your goals when they reflect you and your brand. Take time to think through each goal completely before running toward the finish line – you can’t navigate without a roadmap!
What do your goals look like? If you’re in need of some business goal inspiration, check out our blog!
