Setting Goals for an Unforgettable Year
Last year was so memorable; it feels like it was just last month (see what I did there?). By now, you’ve surely assessed what worked, what didn’t, what you plan to do about it now. And that’s the starting point for your goal setting for the new year.
The newness of the year is a time for optimism and planning, but not wishful thinking. The self-help, self-talk of New Year’s Resolutions that struggle for life anytime past 24 hours won’t get you anywhere. Feel free to make those wishes about your dollars to come and your pounds to lose. Then get busy with the actual steps you’re going to pursue.
An easily remembered acronym – SMART – will help you get smart about your goal setting:
Specific and Measurable – Perhaps one of your goals is, “Double sign-ups for maintenance agreements by June 1.” “Double” is a measure. You know what you have now. You measure that against what you have then. But what actually is a sign-up? Is that a new member only? Or all members total? How about: “Double the number of members in our maintenance agreement program by June 1.”
Attainable – Sounds good, however… is this increase in maintenance agreements a realistic goal? Can you do this by June 1? You evaluate the action steps you need to take – and the targets you need to meet along the way – to answer these questions. A smaller number may be more appropriate: “Increase the number of members in our maintenance agreement program by 20% by June 1.”
Relevant – This one would be a yes. Maintenance agreements provide year-round cash flow and vastly improve retention rates – very relevant outcomes for marketers.
Time-bound – The year runs on a calendar, so does your business, and so do your goals. Create your timeframe for pursuing unforgettably smart decisions.