If you find yourself lost and floundering when it comes to meeting your business goals, it could be that you need help in setting the right goals. Are you setting goals with a specific time limit? Are you setting goals that can be measured? Are you setting goals that make sense for you and your business? Ask yourself these questions, and then read the rest of these tips to learn how to set goals, create an actionable timeline, and check in on your progress.
Set SMART Goals
Have you ever heard of the SMART criteria when setting your business goals?
S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Attainable
R – Realistic
T – Time-bound
When creating a goal, make sure that it hits all of the points of the SMART criteria. By doing this, you’ll make goals that can actually be accomplished. When you have a number you’re trying to hit by a certain time period, that is a goal that is simple to measure if you’ve accomplished it or not.
For example, a SMART goal would be something like, “I am going to increase my membership sales by 25% for this particular launch.”
Put Together an Action Plan and Timeline
In order to achieve your goal, it’s important to put together an action plan with steps to help you reach it. How are you going to increase your membership sales by 25%? List out each action you will take to bring you closer to that number. Including a timeline in this plan will help you visualize those deadlines and milestones so that you stay focused. Did you know that you are 42% more likely to achieve a goal if you write it down? Your action plan and timeline should be all mapped out (and not just in your head!)
Track Your Progress
Schedule time to check in with yourself every week to see how your progress is going with your business goals. This will give you a clear picture if you are heading in the right direction, or need to change something up. This can also be highly motivating – if you see yourself getting close to hitting that goal, it can energize you and get you in the right mindset to keep going. In addition, if you see that you are behind schedule, this can also motivate you to kick it into high gear.
Goals are not only essential for having a creative business, but they’re also important for hosting workshops, course launches, and membership launches. The key is to set goals that fall within the SMART criteria, write up an action plan with a timeline, and track your progress weekly. By taking these steps, you’ll be able to measure how you are doing, make changes when necessary, and overall, have a more successful business.
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