Are you the kind of person who loves setting goals? You think of something you want. A bar you want to set for yourself. Then you go about planning and executing on your plan until you make your goal happen? Do you set business goals along with your personal ones? Every year people set goals to lose weight, find “the One”, travel to a new country, buy a new house. They break down the goal into daily, weekly, monthly and maybe even quarterly tasks to reverse engineer the outcome. And every year most, let’s face it, don’t quite make it.
Then you’re the exception because most people are not like that. They turtle at the very thought of goal-setting. But goal-setting is only a muscle which most people have never used. Maybe you used to be a high-achiever in the past, you failed, so you never set goals for yourself. Maybe you’re used to being in survival mode and can’t even imagine deciding you want something then going after it. Even if some teeny tiny part of you thinks you can go after it and achieve it.
I love setting goals and this year, in 2024, I’m setting a goal to reach 100,000 small business owners in my business to help them reach their goals. I live and breathe marketing, it’s a switch I can’t turn off, and I see it everywhere, for better or for worse. I am always mentally taking notes of businesses marketing efforts both good and bad, or worse, non-existent. I don’t see this goal being too hard and I’m going to document everything so you can come on this journey with me. In December 2024 we’ll talk about what happened. Here are the three tips I’m using for myself and I’m sharing with others on how I’ve achieved my business goals. Let’s do this!
1. Set Business Goals Any Time of the Year
Don’t be precious about it. If you want to achieve something in your business, set the goal, KPI, OKR or whatever goal system you use. Make it super specific, get buy-in from your team and set about making it happen.
2. Be Accountable to Yourself or Get a Buddy
Buddy up and meet your buddy every week. Make your goal public, say it loud, and say it proud. Chances are higher if you’ll achieve it when you have someone to hold your feet to the fire AND be your cheerleader.
Besides, you’re 4x more likely to achieve your goal if you announce it publicly.
3. Chunk Your Tasks and Measure Your Progress
How will you know how you’re doing if you’re not measuring your progress?
Revenue goals are great. Say you want to earn an extra 20% in your business this year, what would that look like in numbers? An extra $100,000?
If you set the goal at the beginning of the year, you only need to earn $8,333 every month.
Would you add another marketing channel? Would you offer another product or offering? How would you execute on it? Would you hire or do it yourself? Take out your notebook and measure your progress.
4. Change Direction
Being flexible is part of life. Things change, life circumstances, health, family, your mind! If you decide the goal you set just isn’t the right one, set a new one! This is your life, just make sure you’re changing your goal with intentionality, not because you don’t think you can achieve it. Because if you can dream it, you can achieve it.