At some stage in your business you will need to set goals in order to keep up the momentum and move your business forward. There are different paths and methods to setting goals, but it is important to devise a plan for both your long and short term goals. Here are The Assistant Quarters’ top tips on how to set smart goals for your business.
Think about the bigger picture
Start at the beginning and think about what you want to achieve. Where do you want to be in the next 5, or even 10, years’ time? What do you want to achieve in your business? Working towards the end result will help to work backwards and help you to set your goals of how you are going to achieve it.
Get down to the nitty gritty
Now that you have a clear idea of the end result and where you want to be, it’s time to start thinking about the nitty gritty. How are you going to achieve this? Set yourself long and short terms goals. Why not set some goals to achieve in the next 30, 60 and 90 days to get you started.
Set goals that are achievable
But remember it is important to set goals that are realistic and achievable. Setting goals that are difficult or impossible to achieve will slow and hinder progress, as well as demotivating you in the process.
Prioritise your goals
Once you have got down to the nitty gritty of what you want to achieve, it’s time to prioritise how you important they are for your business and in what order you are going to complete them. Do some goals rely on others? Will others have a bigger impact long term or will they just help with short term wins?
Set deadlines
Deadlines are important to prioritise your goals. They can help keep the momentum going, focusing on what’s important to keep moving forward. It also helps in holding you accountable to achieving your vision.
Commit to your goals
A great way to hold yourself accountable is to use an accountability buddy or even posting brief details on your social media pages. Making a statement that you are planning to achieve x by x date puts pressure on you to deliver what you have set out to do.
Track your progress
It’s important to also regularly track the progress of your goals to monitor your efforts and the progress you are making, but also to make sure your goals are still relevant. As your business grows and with economical changes, you may find that you need to refocus your efforts. This may mean changing your original plans or even scrapping certain ideas or goals to keep driving your business forward.
Reward yourself
And don’t forget that it is important to reward yourself when you meet a goal. No matter how small the goal, it is important to recognise your efforts and celebrate your success. This will give you internal satisfaction but also motivate you to achieving more.
Do you have any tips on how to set smart goals for your business? Why not send us your suggestions in the box below?
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