Smart Marketing Goals: A Guide To Its Elements, Benefits, and Examples
“Make more profits”, “Have a bigger market share”, and “Increase brand awareness”. These were the goals that Mark, the VP of Marketing at Ecks-Why-Zee Retail Stores outlined as the company’s goals for the new year. The company’s leadership was expecting Mark and his team to deliver on these goals. But as Mark began to think about how he was going to achieve these goals, he realized that they weren’t very specific. They didn’t take into account what the company’s customers wanted or what would be realistic to achieve or when they would be achieved. It was at this point that he realized that he needed to make his goals more “smart”. The only problem is, he doesn’t know how. Your mission, Agent X, should you choose to accept it, is to help Mark and his team understand and set some smart marketing goals for Ecks-Why-Zee Retail Stores. The rest of this guide is to help you understand what SMART goals are, the benefits of setting them, and how to set and measure SMART marketing goals. It’ll also provide some examples of common smart marketing goals that you can use as inspiration for helping Mark’s team. But first, let’s start with the basics. What are SMART Goals? SMART is an acronym that represents the words, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. A SMART goal is a goal that meets those values,in other words, a well-defined goal that you can track and measure progress towards. Specific A specific goal is clear and concise and provides detailed information about what needs to be done. For example, rather than setting a goal to “increase sales,” Ecks-Why-Zee might set a goal to “increase sales by 10%” This specific goal is more likely to lead to concrete action and results in sales. Similarly, rather than setting a goal to “improve customer service,” it might set a goal to “reduce customer wait times by 30%” Once again, this specific goal is more likely to lead to tangible improvement in customer relations. Measurable When setting goals, it is important to make sure that they can be effectively measured. A goal is measurable if it can be expressed in a quantifiable value. To create a measurable goal, businesses need to have specific criteria that can be used to track progress. For example, a business might set a goal to increase sales by 10% over one year. To measure this goal, they would track sales figures regularly and compare them to the previous year or timeframe. To ensure that a goal is truly measurable, it’s important to ask questions such as how will we know if we’ve achieved this goal? What metrics will we use? How often will we track progress? Achievable For a goal to be achievable, it must be realistic. This means that businesses need to set attainable goals that they can work towards given their resources and timeframes. It’s important to note that an achievable goal should still challenge businesses to push themselves to see results. Relevant When setting SMART goals, businesses need to make sure that they are relevant to their overall mission and vision. A goal is relevant if it furthers the business’s objectives and helps it move closer to its long-term goals. For example, a goal to increase sales by 10% would be relevant for a business whose objective is to increase profits. However, a goal to increase social media followers by 10% would not be relevant for a business whose objective is to reduce costs. Time-bound SMART goals need to have a timeframe associated with them to keep businesses on track and accountable. A time-bound goal has a specific deadline associated with it. This deadline provides a sense of urgency and encourages businesses to take action to achieve their goals. For example, rather than setting a goal to “increase sales,” Ecks-Why-Zee might set a goal to “increase sales by 10% within the next year.” This time-bound goal gives the business a clear timeline to work towards and ensures that they take action promptly. The Benefits of Setting SMART Goals For a Marketing Team There are numerous benefits associated with setting SMART goals. Some of the most notable benefits include: Improved Clarity And Focus Setting SMART goals for a sales team helps its team members have improved clarity and focus. When businesses set SMART marketing goals, the team has a clear roadmap to follow. This helps them to focus their efforts on the things that matter most and achieve their desired results. More Effective Decision-Making SMART marketing goals lead to more effective decision-making because by having a clear understanding of what task needs to be achieved teams can make better decisions about how to allocate their resources. This helps them use their time, money, and energy in the most efficient way possible. Increased Motivation And Productivity Another benefit of setting SMART goals is that they can increase motivation and productivity. When team members have a clear goal to work towards, they are more likely to be motivated to take action and see results. This can lead to increased productivity as businesses can get more done in a shorter timeframe. For example, if a team’s goal is to increase lead generation by 15% within two months, they are likely to be more focused and driven to achieve this goal than if they simply had a goal to “increase lead generation. Enhanced Team Communication SMART goals also help to enhance team communication. By having a clear goal to work towards, team members can easily communicate their progress and identify any areas where they may need help. This open communication can help to improve the overall efficiency of the team. Improved Time Management Another benefit of setting SMART goals is that they can help with time management. By having a clear understanding of what needs to be done and when it needs to be done, businesses can better manage their time. This helps businesses to avoid wasting time on things that don’t matter and ensures that
The 8 Content Marketing Goals That Are Critical to Your Business
If you’re running a business, having a content marketing strategy is key to success. Why? Because it helps ensure your content is working towards your overall business goals. Plus, today’s customers are bombarded with choices, and if you want them to pick your product or service, you need to have great content that cuts through the noise. Not sure where to start? Check out our list of eight goals for any successful content marketing campaign. These tips will help you create content that resonates with your audience and drives conversions. Why Alignment With Content Objectives Is Crucial Here are some benefits of aligning your content marketing campaigns and strategy goals between all relevant stakeholders within the company: The 8 Critical Goals of Content Marketing Now that we’ve defined content marketing and discussed its importance, let’s dive into our eight critical goals for a successful content marketing strategy. 1. Increase Brand Awareness and Recognition One of the primary goals of content marketing is to increase brand awareness for your business. After all, if people don’t know your company exists, they can’t become customers or clients. Creating high-quality content is one of the best ways to get your name out there and attract the attention of your target audience. Think about the relevant content that will help you achieve these marketing and business goals. For example, if you’re looking to increase brand awareness for a new product launch, you might create blog posts or social media updates leading up to the launch date. Or, if you want to raise awareness for your business in general, you might create thought-leadership content that showcases your company’s expertise. No matter what type of content you create, you aim to get it in front of as many people as possible. So be sure to promote your content across your channels, from your website and blog to social media and email. You can also use paid advertising to amplify your reach and ensure your target audience sees your content. One company that has successfully used content marketing to increase brand awareness is Coca-Cola. For example, in 2016, they launched their “Taste the Feeling” campaign, which featured a mix of print, TV, digital and out-of-home advertisements. The campaign was designed to underscore people’s emotional connections with Coca-Cola products. This strategy raised brand awareness, as the “Taste the Feeling” campaign garnered over 278 million online views. And it helped Coca-Cola boost its sales by 3% in the first quarter of 2017. By creating high-quality content that resonates with its target audience, Coca-Cola has effectively built awareness for its brand and increased its bottom line. 2. Generate More Qualified Leads Generating leads is an important goal of content marketing. Businesses can attract potential customers and convert them into leads by creating compelling and engaging content. While some customers may immediately commit to a product or service, others may require more nurturing before they are ready to make a purchase. Businesses can develop targeted marketing campaigns to move leads through the sales funnel by collecting data from each interaction with potential customers. Effective content marketing can thus result in increased sales and revenue for businesses. One of the best ways to generate leads is to create gated content, meaning people have to give you their contact information to access it. For example, you might create an eBook or whitepaper and require people to fill out a form with their name and email address before they can download it. You can also use lead magnets, such as free trials or coupons, to entice people to sign up for your email list. Once you have their contact information, you can follow up with targeted emails that will move them further down the sales funnel. 3. Build Brand Loyalty and Trust Fostering brand loyalty is essential for any business that wants to build a lasting relationship with its customers. After all, why would someone continue to buy from a company they don’t trust or feel loyal to? As a content marketer, you have the opportunity to help build both of these things through the stories you tell and the experiences you create. Loyalty is often built through shared values and everyday experiences, so tell stories highlighting these things. For instance, if you’re marketing a sustainable fashion brand, you could tell stories about the people who make the clothing and how they work to reduce their environmental impact. On the other hand, if you’re marketing a new kind of workout gear, you might share stories about how it’s helped people achieve their fitness goals. In both cases, you’re giving your audience a reason to feel loyal to your brand. Trust, on the other hand, is built through transparency and consistency. Be clear about who you are and what you stand for, and be consistent in the messages you share. In addition, with content marketing, your company may host a giveaway or a contest, offering your consumers the opportunity to win a reward and, as a result, celebrate your customer base. Customer loyalty and trust are essential for any business that wants to thrive in the long term. As you achieve this, your audience will come to trust you as a source of reliable information. 4. Garner More Web Traffic With Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Websites are much like storefronts; the better they look, the more likely people will come in. But, of course, there’s a little more to it than that. Just as you wouldn’t put a store in the middle of nowhere, your website also needs to be easy to find. One way to do this is to use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques. SEO involves using keywords and other strategies to improve your site’s ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). This ensures that your website comes up near the top of the results when people search for keywords related to your business. You can also generate traffic by advertising your website on social media or through pay-per-click ads. And, of course,
