All projects need goals. By implementing specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely goals we create a clear and actionable path to achievement.
An Article written by the JH Media Group Team.
At JH Media Group we strive to help all of our clients promote their businesses and become more successful with their internet operations. From building websites to supporting their internet activities, to helping with SEO to expanding their customer base, to composing content to advertising all aspects of their business, JH Media Group is your one stop shop.
In all activities that we help our customers and clients excel in, we never forget the all-important SMART goals to help achieve their definition of success.
What Are SMART Goals?
We keep the end goal in mind as we help our clients to grow their business. Every goal has to be SMART in order to have the ability to fulfill the requirements of their respective businesses.
This acronym means the goals must be:
- Specific (identifiable, precise, significant).
- Measurable (quantifiable, definite, meaningful).
- Achievable (attainable, reachable).
- Relevant (pertinent, suitable, realistic).
- Time bound (timely, set beginning and end)
Specific
We must determine the items we are trying to accomplish, and we need to be specific about them. Most companies want to be more successful and if they are for profit companies, that includes making more money.
However, it is almost impossible to have a goal that just says “make more money” without asking how will this be accomplished, and who is to determine whether the goals are met. One always hopes to do better month after month, year after year.
The real question is, what steps we must take to make more money?
Is it to tempt more individuals to purchase our products? Is it to advertise to more people so they will know about us? Is it to be the best widget on the market, or is it to have the most facebook likes in the industry? We could go on and on. If the costs were no object we might be able to accomplish all of these general ideas.
In most cases, there is never a lack of ideas, only time and money. Therefore we must be specific so we will know exactly what we are aiming towards.
Measurable
We will never know that our goals have been accomplished if they can not be measured. We can see how many people have looked at our advertisement and how many likes we have. We can look at reviews to find out if our widget is considered the best on the market.
We always establish concrete goals that can be measured so we will stay on course, We want to know when our efforts have been successful. By measuring the performance of our effects, we will know if we are heading in the right direction.
We may find out that we need to change our focus. This too is a measurable effect. We can determine if we have found the logical and most effective method to succeed in our set goals. We do not want to spend time or money on a project if it is proven that we are heading in the wrong direction. We strive to achieve our goals and if we must change direction to accomplish them, then we have learned what will not work.
Achievable
If we are striving for a goal, we make it reasonable. If a goal is not achievable, we are setting ourselves up for failure. We can not say that we will triple our sales in just 2 months. This appears to be very unrealistic. It probably can not be achieved in such a short amount of time.
However, we do not want our goals to be too easy. We set our goals at a level that is not outrageous, but is also worth stretching to reach. Taking past performance and future predictions as well as resources and timeframe into account can help determine what goals are achievable.
In some cases it may be worth considering setting a base goal which is very reasonable to achieve in addition to a stretch goal which is essentially icing on the cake if it’s reached.
Relevant
If a goal isn’t relevant, it’s won’t make sense to work towards it. We do not want to set a goal to make sure so many individuals see our ad. It turns out that is not relevant to our creation of websites. We want to put our information in front of those individuals who want, need, and are willing to purchase our websites. But we are not looking at any person, we are looking for the right person. 1,000 likes do not matter if none of those likes are relevant to our business.
Sometimes goals seem relevant when in fact they are not. We consider the big picture and take a close look at the desired result of a goal when determining if the goals are relevant.
Timely
All goals need to have a beginning and an end or we will never know when to assess whether or not they have been achieved. If the goal is to increase profit by 15%, when will we determine if we have reached it? A month from now? A year from now?
Taking resources and all steps needed into account, we need to calculate how long we will have to achieve our goals. This gives us a timeline for our campaign.
All projects need goals. By implementing specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely goals we create a clear and actionable path to achievement.
At JH Media Group we learn about your business and then together we work to formulate the ideal goals for you and the best path toward achieving them. We are here to share our expertise and help you make use of all of the tools available to you and to your business.
Rochelle Long is a valued account manager for clients of JHMG with a background as a CPA and years of entrepreneurship experience. She loves traveling and is the founder of the popular Guide for Seniors website which provides travel information to seniors who are young at heart. Rochelle has a strong understanding of business fundamentals, digital marketing and what it takes to build a successful project.
