Strategic Goal Setting in 2015
December 15, 2014
By Pamela Barker
Avi Dan, recently contributed an article to Forbes on what will be important in 2015 for business planning. It’s a great article that I highly recommend reading. What struck me was this quote:
“Transparency will become the most important tool of marketing. Consumers are going to continue to exert power and influence. The idea of radical transparency is something that few brands are taking advantage of now, and most brands fight it. Next year the best brands won’t be those with the best stories, or sort of made up fictional stories, but those that will give an accurate and real time picture of what they are doing in the interest of the consumer, at any given time.”
Once again, we see evolution in strategies. Responding to the transparency challenge is an important goal. The key is to set a goal that impacts your clients, and then integrate the goal into your business. If you are part of a large team, a small team, or a solo-entrepreneur, these tips around goal setting can impact your bottom line:
1. Don’t do your goal setting in January this year. Do interview your past clients/customers and find how they would like to see you behave differently. Find out what they really want from the industry and how you can impact their requests. Also, get some face to face interviews with clients you would like to serve.
2. Don’t do your goal setting in February. Take February to analyze the information you gathered. Identify trends, and research ways to fill the gaps—the internet is a gold mine of information. If you don’t like researching find someone who can help you.
3. March is the time for the Resolution. This is the time to declare your intentions about how you and your business will make the industry a better place for your clients.
4. Create the goal for making the resolution a reality. Goals need to be a road map for executing your resolution. Keep it simple, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely.
5. Transparency. Show off your goal and monthly progress to your clients/customers. Give the people you serve an accurate and real time picture of what you are doing for them at any given time. Social media is your friend.
“Be the change you want to see in the world” –Ghandi