New year’s resolutions are great. It’s true.
But, there’s a problem with most of them : A lack of strategy.
Good news: There are effective ways to successfully launch new year goals for your business that go beyond regular hopes and dreams.
Here’s how to ensure goals are more concrete and results-driven.
Dive into the Goals at a Deep, Detailed Level
We are often quick to set goals but not to analyze the problems or gaps that keep us from making them happen.
Let’s say you set a goal to attend a big, industry event in October 2018. That’s a great objective for 2018 – but it will take more than just vision boarding to bring it to fruition.
What will it take to make that trade show a success?
For each goal created, it’s key to :
Understand: Why Have You Set that Goal?
Are you hosting a trade show booth at a big event to get more leads? Spread brand awareness?
If you don’t know why you won’t know what results to expect. You won’t know if the event was a success or not.
Sometimes, we get to the root of “Why” and realize it’s not getting us towards our true vision and growth anyhow!
Analyze : What are the Obstacles or Gaps?
Let’s say you’re an IT firm attending a world-renowned, tech trade show. You know why you’re there. You understand the objectives. Now, analyze the objectives or gaps. For example:
Is your branding strong enough for a great, brand-centric trade show booth?
Do you have a team who is ready to authentically convey the offerings?
In-person sales can be very tricky for someone who is normally the expert behind the scenes. And trade show sales are a whole other animal.
Create a step-by-step action plan for how you’ll come to that trade show with a team who is ready to make the goal go great.
(Such as investing in highly reputable trade show consulting.)
Plan: Outline Steps for AFTER a Goal is Achieved
Let’s say you attend that trade show. You get leads…Now what?
The goal happened but, without proper plan and follow through, that won’t maximize the opportunity.
Create a plan for what you will do after a goal happens, for if you do achieve success. This will enable you to bring the goal to full and complete victory.
Break Tasks Down into Actionable Chunks
For each big goal, break down the tasks needed to make it happen. This will help the overall goal seem more manageable – plus, make you more likely to achieve it. Here are a few examples:
Plan follow ups after the trade show : Write out exactly how you’re going to do this. Steps may be :
- Import all of the leads’ contact information.
- 3 days after the trade show, send an email out to leads that says thank you for visiting our trade show booth and invites them to schedule a demo.
- 5 – 8 days after the trade show, follow up with anyone who has NOT replied to that email.
- Get specific. Give each of these leads a call to check in and ask if they’d like to take up the offer of a free demo.
- At the same time, have processes set up for anyone who does schedule a demo. For each lead that does a demo and does NOT enroll on the spot, follow up with them via email 2 days after the demo. Be sure to…
- Ask about their experience.
- Remind them of any special promo and when it expires.
When these steps are defined and written out, it makes the process super clear to you and all other employees. After all, it’s easiest to take action when you know what action to take.
So, who is ready to get goal setting – and deep goal planning after?