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10 Simple Steps to Setting Your Marketing Goals: How to Plan for Your Success!
Last year you declared that it was THE year to grow your business. You may even have made a to-do list that included things like "Make more money," "Find new clients," etc. But despite creating your trusty list, life got in the way, as it is wont to do, so you're no closer to meeting your goal now than you were this time last year. In fact, just thinking about what you (gulp!) didn't accomplish makes you a little uncomfortable and disappointed. You might even have talked yourself into thinking that you simply can't find the time to start working on your goals, what with all the last-minute client challenges, employee issues and hurried attempts to do any sort of marketing at all. The good news is that it doesn't have to be so difficult to reach your goals. If you know my work and/or subscribe to my newsletter, you know that I'm a planner at heart. It's the very best way to ensure that you will actually reach the goals you want to achieve this year ... and beyond. Here is a simple, yet helpful method to plan for your own success. Just grab a pen and paper, and you're ready to roll! 1. Think about where you would like to be in 3 years. I pick 3 years because it is a reasonable amount of time in which to expect fairly large changes to take place -- such as achieving nationally known status as an expert in your field, a substantial increase in your net earnings or simply finding a better clientele that doesn't stress you out. Many of your goals may take a while to achieve, above and beyond a mere 12 months. (We all know how quickly a month can pass us by!) So think long and hard about what you would like to achieve, first and foremost. 2. Why do you want to achieve those goals? What is your motivation? Because you really want to make them happen, or because you think you *should* achieve them? Now is not the time to play "should'ves." Instead, ensure that every goal on your list is motivated by the right goals, namely that you want to see them come true because they are ideal for your skill set and key strengths. What's key here is to rule out goals that you have set for yourself that actually aren't in line with your value system and dreams. It's time to concentrate on what YOU want! This will save you many hours of time and frustration. 3. Make sure you're aiming for goals that are high enough! Many of my clients initially have a tendency to sell themselves short; only after discussing their potential do they see what they can truly achieve. It's also important to ask yourself very seriously if you are simply planning not to fail. No, you don't want to take risks that will majorly undermine you if they fail, but you do need to take calculated risks that stretch you to new heights. 4. What will it take to get you there? You want to consider the steps that will get you to each of your goals. If, for example, you are currently making $45,000 a year and hope to achieve more than $1 million in business in 3 years, you have to determine the changes you will make in your business model as a whole that will allow you to do so. You might need to: Spell out the broad steps that you will need to make in order to move ahead, along with the amount of time it will take for you to achieve them. 5. Which skills do you need to gain in order to achieve those goals? If you want to make more money with your business with a minimum of expense, I highly recommend that you do the following: Make sure to list all skills that you need to improve upon. 6. Assess which goals are realistic to achieve. What is viable? What isn't? If you need to learn a lot of new skills, how much time can you realistically plan to dedicate to doing so? Do you have the financial ability to afford the training? Secondly, are any of your goals contradictory? For example, if you wish to raise your income by selling more personal services and want to make 6 figures, will you be able to raise your rate enough in your market to realistically accomplish this? Then, and only then, you'll be ready to ... 7. Create a 1-year plan. I started with the longer-term plan because it helps you visualize the things that you truly with to achieve -- and allows you to see the significant gains you can make with concerted effort. However, you need to build some interim steps in the process, 1 year at a time. At this point you want to outline the goals that you would like to achieve in that 1-year period. 8. Map out the steps that would allow you to achieve those goals. For instance, if your goal is to gain 12 new clients this year, what will it take to reach them? Be very specific about what you plan to do at what point during the year -- along with how you plan to find the time to achieve them. It might mean hiring a virtual assistant, getting help from a marketing professional like yours truly and/or sending out mailings to clients and prospects on a monthly basis. Oftentimes each goal has a number of subgoals, such as gathering names of prospects, getting design work done, joining local organizations and attending meetings, hiring a consultant and so forth. 9. Add the steps in your 1-year plan to your calendar. I use Microsoft Outlook solely for the calendar function, which allows me to set up reminders and manage my time more effectively. You can also use a paper calendar or Daytimer organizer -- it's not the medium that counts, but what works best for you! M
Does this sound in any way familiar?
Want to turn your small business into a brand-name success? Jennifer McCay, author of The High-Concept Brand Bible, helps small business owners like you find more clients more easily using big-business tactics that really work. Sign up for her free Avenues to Marketing Success Newsletter today at http://AvenueEast.com
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Keywords: small business marketing, marketing goals
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