Why Goals Are a Must-Have for Any Business
We all love to dream big for our companies. That is, after all, why most of us started our businesses. One day, we had a dream that we decided to turn into something real. The fact of the matter is that we all love dreaming more than doing. Dreams aren’t worth much without some serious hustle. Without doing the work, you are not going to see your company grow or succeed. That’s why setting goals and working toward those goals is such an important part of running a business.
Research has proven time and time again that people who set goals have a much higher likelihood of reaching those goals and succeeding in whatever they’re trying to accomplish than those who don’t set goals. The problem for many of us, however, is that we either don’t know where to start when setting goals or we set our goals unattainably high and give up when we don’t reach them. So how do we set goals that will help us move our businesses in the right direction consistently? Here are a couple quick tips:
1. Don’t try to create too many goals at once
Researchers on productivity have found that you really can’t focus on more than about 5 things at once. Creating goals with several sub-goals will only cheat you out of your productivity.
2. Keep your goals “smart“
Your goals need to follow these five guidelines:
- Keep your goals specific. Instead of saying “grow my business”, say “increase my customer base by 10%.”
- Make your goals measurable. “Make 10% more in profit over the next 90 days.”
- Every goal should be actionable. They should start with an action verb. “Call two more customers a week.”
- Be sure to keep your goals realistic. Instead of trying to double your sales, aim for a 15% increase.
- Your goals should always be time-bound. “Gain 5 customers by April 1.”
Make goals, write them down, keep them few in number and make them “smart” and your business will be on its way to being the company of your dreams.
