Published:
06/26/2012 10:01pm
S.M.A.R.T. Goals Equals Definite Results
The halfway point of 2012 is quickly approaching. My question to you is this, "Are you at the halfway point of accomplishing all of the goals that you have set for your business?"
Now is the time to review your progress!
Don't be afraid! You won't know where you're at if you don't look. And you can't make the adjustments you need to make if you aren't honest with yourself. Reviewing what you have accomplished thus far is crucial as you seek to accomplish your business goals for this year.
You can do it if your goals match this formula:
SPECIFIC ACTION + MEASURABILITY + COMPLETION DATE =
ACHIEVABLE GOAL
How can you, towards the end of June 2012 ensure that you meet your goals for this year? In addition to executing the formula above, the goals that you set should also meet the S.M.A.R.T prerequisite:
S: Specific
M: Measurable
A: Achievable
R: Realistic
T: Time Sensitive
It is good to consider each piece individually.
Specific goals are clearly defined, easy to visualize and easy to act upon.
Bad Example: I want to make more money this year.
S.M.A.R.T. Example: I will double income earned in 2011. If your income in 2011 was $50,000 your new goal of $100,000 is certainly specific.
Measurable goals can be gauged and charted from start to finish.
Bad Example: I want to sell more products.
S.M.A.R.T. Example: I will sell 50 products from June to December 2012. (Knowing that last year you sold 25 from June till December). If you have a specific goal in mind that you achieve over the next 6 months, that can be measured monthly, weekly and daily.
Achievable goals are definitely within your reach.
BAD Example: I will convert 100% of the prospects that I meet into clients.
S.M.A.R.T. Example: Over the past 6 months, your new client close ratio may have been 10%. Let's solve this mathematically. That means if you had 20 sales conversations with prospective clients, you only actually enrolled 2 of those prospects as new clients. Getting in front of prospects may be easy for you, but you feel that an achievable goal would be to increase your close rate to 30% (which is 6 out of 20).
Realistic goals are self-explanatory. Winning the lottery is unrealistic! Therefore, if you make it goal to earn $10,000,000 this year when you only brought in $30,000 the previous year; you may need to tone down your expectations. I'm all for you thinking BIG, but you also need to be honest with yourself.
Time sensitive goals have a completion date attached to them.
BAD Example: One of these days I'm going to update my website.
S.M.A.R.T. Example: I am going to launch an updated website by November 30, 2012.
How close are you to accomplishing your goals for 2012? Get out your measuring stick and chart your progress. If you have lost sight of the objectives that you set to accomplish for this year, now is a good time to get back in gear.
Start where you stand! If you are completely off track and distracted, make the commitment to readjust your focus, recalibrate and set a new course with renewed enthusiasm.
Use the next 6 months to your advantage. Are you missing out on marketing your business because you are stuck behind your computer or bogged down by distractions? You need to create a simple plan that you can implement consistently.
If you are feeling overwhelmed with your marketing, you're likely doing WAY too much. Achieving your goals only requires that you FOCUS on 2-3 simple marketing strategies that are specific to what you're looking to accomplish. Take stock of what's working and what's not working so you can re-focus your energy in the right places.
Remember, every goal needs to have a specific action. It needs to be tracked and measure each week and each month. There has to be a completion date in order for your goal to be truly achievable.
Implement our simple formula for each one of your S.M.A.R.T. goals. By doing this, you will have a successful six months as you seek to accomplish your purpose for the remainder of 2012.
Known as "The Smart S
