Set Goals The Right Way
Posted by Reagan Smith Warner on Monday, August 24, 2015 Under: Set Clear Goals
Written By Ashlee McNicole
http://ashleemcnicolbooks.com/
After accurately defining your target market, the next step in the business owner process is to set objectives. Before you get too excited, let’s be clear: “sell my product” isn’t an objective. I mean, Kudos to you because that is ultimately the goal, but objectives need to be clear and measurable.< strong>Make Your Goals Clear Objectives are necessary for many reasons. For one, they keep you organized and honest. They help you figure out where you want to be and where you want this goal to take you. They give you a guideline for your life, helping you determine your road in a more strategic fashion for better results. If you ask yourself where you plan to be in five years, what comes to mind? Do you know where you want to be in five years? How about one year? It can be intimidating to talk about the future, but when you have a business to run, the best way to be successful is to plan ahead. When creating measurable objectives, there is a four part rule that you can use to keep yourself organized and on-point. This isn’t to say there are no exceptions, but in general, the best objectives follow an outline such as this one:< strong>Part One: Verb< strong>Part Two: Number< strong>Part Three: Timeline< strong>Part Four: How Think of this objective: Sell 200 products between September to October on personal website through utilization of x review program. Let’s break this down.< strong>Part One: Verb You remember the term “verb” from your English class back in sixth grade, right? A verb is an action that one can take. When you are thinking of objectives, you need to classify what the objective is and how you would like it to be done. That is where verbs come into play. Some constructive verbs you can use in objective statements include: complete, create, enhance, increase, enforce, consume, sell, intake, market, promote, and send. In the objective, “Sell 200 products between September to October on personal website through utilization of x review program,” the verb is: to sell. That is the action you will take to get closer to the goal.< strong>Part Two: Number A number is important in objectives because that is the part that is measurable. By having something you can track and record, you can better assess your performance to goal. Of course, the goal is always to surpass the objective number in place, but it is a great place for you to start. It will allow you to better plan your strategies to reach out to that number of people. It will also give you more free time eventually if you reach the goal. At that point, you’ll know when you can take a much needed break or keep going. It’s up to you. Once the goal is met, you are golden. In the objective, “Sell 200 products between September to October on personal website through utilization of x review program,” the number is: 200 products. See how much clearer it is when you have a number you can keep track of?< strong>Part Three: Timeline With the verb and number in place, you have the foundation for what you want to do. Without a timeline, though, things can get a little uneasy. For instance, take the objective we have been working with. What if we said we wanted to sell 200 products on your website through utilization of x review program without mentioning a timeframe? Well, that can lead to a little confusion. Does the business owner plan to sell 200 products using that platform alone in one day? In one week? In one month? In one year? In his or her career? Where does it end? We need timelines to keep us honest with our goals. In the objective, “Sell 200 products between September to October on personal website through utilization of x review program,” the timeline is: between September to October.< strong>Part Four: How I’m going to make this really crazy for a second. If you have a goal, a number, and a timeline, you know what goal you want to reach, right? Well, how exactly do you plan on meeting that goal? Waving your magic wand? Maybe a little fairy dust like in the movies? As much as I wish it was as easy as that, it isn’t. We need a “how” in our lives. We need to have a game plan to reach the goal. Without a “how,” we are doing all the talking and taking no action. Actually applying this four part system, we will have the most measurable results with our objectives. This will help us to do well and to succeed in doing what we love. I suggest including at least 5 objectives on your list of goals. I stress, at least. You can never have too many goals. Just make sure whatever you do is manageable. The best part is that it is okay to aim high. If you have a month where you don’t reach the par like you expected, it will even out in those months where you exceed the goal. However, we know you will make the goal, so don’t sweat the small stuff. In the objective, “Sell 200 products between September to October on personal website through utilization of x review program,” the how is: through utilization of x review program. With objectives, you should be able to measure results over a given time period, clearly explain the goal you are trying to hit, define how you are going to reach the goal, look at trends to see how the goal aligns with your plans, and revise if needed to address market demands and conditions.< strong>Tips for Success< ol>Be realistic, but also be sure to shoot for the stars. You never what the results may be if you put in the hard work and dedication. Write a list of your personal goals. You will be more inclined to hit your business goals if they help you meet the other objectives in your life. Believe in yourself. You can do this. It may look difficult at first, but you aren’t alone in this process. Bring the four part rule into other parts of your life to achieve maximum results. Don’t be afraid of change or obstacles. Things WILL change and they will go south sometimes, but that’s okay. It makes you better. It teaches you to handle anything that comes your way. <
http://ashleemcnicolbooks.com/
After accurately defining your target market, the next step in the business owner process is to set objectives. Before you get too excited, let’s be clear: “sell my product” isn’t an objective. I mean, Kudos to you because that is ultimately the goal, but objectives need to be clear and measurable.< strong>Make Your Goals Clear Objectives are necessary for many reasons. For one, they keep you organized and honest. They help you figure out where you want to be and where you want this goal to take you. They give you a guideline for your life, helping you determine your road in a more strategic fashion for better results. If you ask yourself where you plan to be in five years, what comes to mind? Do you know where you want to be in five years? How about one year? It can be intimidating to talk about the future, but when you have a business to run, the best way to be successful is to plan ahead. When creating measurable objectives, there is a four part rule that you can use to keep yourself organized and on-point. This isn’t to say there are no exceptions, but in general, the best objectives follow an outline such as this one:< strong>Part One: Verb< strong>Part Two: Number< strong>Part Three: Timeline< strong>Part Four: How Think of this objective: Sell 200 products between September to October on personal website through utilization of x review program. Let’s break this down.< strong>Part One: Verb You remember the term “verb” from your English class back in sixth grade, right? A verb is an action that one can take. When you are thinking of objectives, you need to classify what the objective is and how you would like it to be done. That is where verbs come into play. Some constructive verbs you can use in objective statements include: complete, create, enhance, increase, enforce, consume, sell, intake, market, promote, and send. In the objective, “Sell 200 products between September to October on personal website through utilization of x review program,” the verb is: to sell. That is the action you will take to get closer to the goal.< strong>Part Two: Number A number is important in objectives because that is the part that is measurable. By having something you can track and record, you can better assess your performance to goal. Of course, the goal is always to surpass the objective number in place, but it is a great place for you to start. It will allow you to better plan your strategies to reach out to that number of people. It will also give you more free time eventually if you reach the goal. At that point, you’ll know when you can take a much needed break or keep going. It’s up to you. Once the goal is met, you are golden. In the objective, “Sell 200 products between September to October on personal website through utilization of x review program,” the number is: 200 products. See how much clearer it is when you have a number you can keep track of?< strong>Part Three: Timeline With the verb and number in place, you have the foundation for what you want to do. Without a timeline, though, things can get a little uneasy. For instance, take the objective we have been working with. What if we said we wanted to sell 200 products on your website through utilization of x review program without mentioning a timeframe? Well, that can lead to a little confusion. Does the business owner plan to sell 200 products using that platform alone in one day? In one week? In one month? In one year? In his or her career? Where does it end? We need timelines to keep us honest with our goals. In the objective, “Sell 200 products between September to October on personal website through utilization of x review program,” the timeline is: between September to October.< strong>Part Four: How I’m going to make this really crazy for a second. If you have a goal, a number, and a timeline, you know what goal you want to reach, right? Well, how exactly do you plan on meeting that goal? Waving your magic wand? Maybe a little fairy dust like in the movies? As much as I wish it was as easy as that, it isn’t. We need a “how” in our lives. We need to have a game plan to reach the goal. Without a “how,” we are doing all the talking and taking no action. Actually applying this four part system, we will have the most measurable results with our objectives. This will help us to do well and to succeed in doing what we love. I suggest including at least 5 objectives on your list of goals. I stress, at least. You can never have too many goals. Just make sure whatever you do is manageable. The best part is that it is okay to aim high. If you have a month where you don’t reach the par like you expected, it will even out in those months where you exceed the goal. However, we know you will make the goal, so don’t sweat the small stuff. In the objective, “Sell 200 products between September to October on personal website through utilization of x review program,” the how is: through utilization of x review program. With objectives, you should be able to measure results over a given time period, clearly explain the goal you are trying to hit, define how you are going to reach the goal, look at trends to see how the goal aligns with your plans, and revise if needed to address market demands and conditions.< strong>Tips for Success< ol>
In : Set Clear Goals
