It doesn’t have to be this way. All you need to is apply some S.M.A.R.T. goals to your online marketing attempts to actually see what you’re doing and what results you yield.Let me break down the S.M.A.R.T. acronym down.
S – Specific
What are you actually trying to achieve by doing this? Avoid answers that rely on expletives like the greatest, best, most sought after. They lead to unhealthy and unspecific expectations and when you don’t live up to your own expectations, you feel your efforts have been in vain. Find one small goal. Focus on the puzzle pieces, not the whole picture.
M– Measurable
Specific goals are measurable. Once you’ve set your heart on achieving a small goal, you can add a numerical value. For instance, you want to increase visits to your website or want to boost calls. That’s fine. Everyone wants more. But to see any growth you have to pay attention to numbers. Name how many more views or calls you hope to achieve.
A – Achievable
But bear in mind that going into the thousands doesn’t do you any favours. In case you’re working on a viral campaign, chances are you won’t make a drastic jump from a two-digit to four-digit numbers. None at all. You need to give yourself the chance to succeed. Not many companies survive by putting extra pressure on themselves.
R – Relevant
When choosing your goals, choose wisely. Facebook likes might seem fine and dandy, but they’re just for show most of the time, keeping current customers happy. If you’re into winning new ones, then to get your website higher on Google serves your purpose better than spending time on Facebook.
T – Time-bound
Time has to be the greatest factor when assigning goals. You have to see the work you can achieve in a controlled period of time. This one keeps you focus and gives you drive as you’re a business on a mission – a mission to become better at marketing.
Goals require planning and I have to say that everything planned brings in more success than you might think. Online marketing can be a truly fantastic tool to breathe life into your local enterprise. You just need to know how to work it.
