Small Business Goals For The Year Ahead
Hello, 2019!
A New Year is a time for a fresh start, and it’s worth taking some time to think about what’s to come in the twelve months ahead. Where does your small business want to go before 2020?
The New Year is a perfect opportunity to set goals and aim high. However, many entrepreneurs struggle when trying to actualize their aspirations and put the pen to paper (or fingers to the keys). We’ve created a helpful guide on helpful methods for creating goals you can stick to.
Planning Full Steam Ahead!
Whether you have two employees or 50, every small business must set goals in order to move forward. Goal setting takes many different shapes and forms, but the most important method is the one that works for you.
See a few popular methods for setting goals in the guide below to jumpstart your goal setting creativity:
Short Term, Medium Term, Long Term
This method is a simple way to set goals without spending hours hashing them out. On a piece of paper, quickly jot down where you would like your small business to be in one month, six months, and one year from today.
It helps to associate each goal with an action item to help you get started. For example, if in one month you want to finish a new website, create an action item that includes creating content or sourcing images. Similarly, if in six months’ time you would like a new inventory management system, then make an action item to start gathering quotes. Breaking large goals into manageable tasks helps create realistic expectations.
SMART Goals
The SMART Goals method has become a popular way to organize and create concrete goals for companies both large and small. SMART is an acronym that stands for:
Specific
Don’t set the goal to be to increase sales. Instead, be specific enough to decide how you will increase sales. The more details you can provide, the easier it will be to set action points for yourself and other employees.
Measurable
Decide how you can measure your success. Find data to confirm your goal and set benchmarks for the future. You may even decide to tier your data so you can spot-check your progress along the way.
Attainable
If your three employees decide they want to be the next Amazon by 2020, you might want to aim for a more achievable goal. Goals that shoot for the moon are often overwhelming, and can even be detrimental.
Relevant
While it’s great for all offices to include a ping pong table, it’s not a relevant small business goal. Try to pick goals that will help you achieve greater success, reputation, or efficiency.
Time-Based
Many small businesses forget this all-important aspect of goal setting. It is crucial that you decide a specific date for your goal to be complete. Schedule a meeting on the end date of your goal to apply the appropriate amount of pressure and accountability.
Whichever goal-setting method you choose, it’s worth the effort to be sure that you are following the SMART goal method.
Collaborative Brainstorm
The collaborative brainstorm method is by far the messiest in our list. However, when many minds are set to the same task, great things can happen. The process is very simple: get your team into a room with a whiteboard, and set a one-hour time limit. In 30 minutes, try to think of as many goals as possible. For the next 30 minutes, try to prioritize and create action point for your top goals. The hardest part will be staying on task, but with some discipline, you can get a lot done in a short amount of time.
30-Minute Visualization
This method is great for busy entrepreneurs who find themselves with a few extra minutes they would like to take advantage of. It begins with five to ten minutes of reflection without the usual distractions of phone and email. Next, you choose a theme for your goal. Think of your favorite “What if we could…” or “Wouldn’t it be great if…” and write it down. From there, try to turn it into smaller action points that you could begin working on. The final step is to make a commitment by deciding how long until you complete each action step. Once it is all written down, you have the beginnings of a great small business goal.
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