SMART goals(SMART)
Strategy and planning
Strategy and planning
SMART is a memory aid for goals you can actually check: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.
The difference is in the wording. 'More requests' is a wish; '25 requests a month through the website in Q4, at no more than a set cost per request' is a goal you can steer on. You know when you hit it and when you do not.
In marketing it works best when you separate goal from means. The goal is the result (requests, revenue, retention); posts, campaigns and pages are the means. Writing the means as the goal measures activity instead of effect.
Pick few. Three sharp goals per period give direction; twelve goals in practice mean none.
Tip
Make goals sharp enough that they aren't met automatically. That way a SMART goal stays a steering tool instead of a report after the fact.
Related terms
- KPIA KPI is a number you steer on because it links directly to a goal, such as qualified enquiries per month or cost per customer.
- OKROKR is a goal-setting method: one clear objective with two to four measurable key results that prove you achieved it.
- Marketing planA marketing plan sets out your audience, the result you want, the channels and the budget — and how you measure whether it works.
- Northstar metricA northstar metric is the single measure that best reflects the value customers get from your product or service — and predicts your growth over time.
- BenchmarkA benchmark is a reference value you compare your performance against: your own history, competitors or an industry average.