How do I set marketing goals (SMART goals) for my business?
Turn a wish like "more sales" into a goal you can actually track. The common SMART method helps: make each goal specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.
ShoaibUpdated 4 min read
What does SMART stand for?
SMART is a widely used checklist for writing goals; the CDC, for example, uses it for writing program objectives. Here's what each letter means for marketing:
| Letter | Means | Ask yourself |
|---|---|---|
| Specific | Clear about what will happen | What exactly do I want, and from which channel? |
| Measurable | Has a number you can track | How will I count it? |
| Achievable | Realistic for your budget and team | Can we actually do this? |
| Relevant | Linked to what the business needs | Does this help sales or growth? |
| Time-bound | Has a deadline | By when? |
What does a SMART marketing goal look like?
An illustrative example:
- Not SMART: "Get more customers from Instagram."
- SMART: "Get 60 WhatsApp enquiries a month from Instagram ads by the end of December, on our current monthly budget."
The numbers here are made up. Yours should come from your own past results and budget.
How do I make goals measurable?
Decide how you'll count the result before you start. Google Analytics lets you mark important actions, like purchases or form sign-ups, as key events, which it describes as actions particularly important to your business's success. Ad platforms have their own conversion tracking too; see what is a conversion.
The SBA also suggests comparing your marketing and sales costs with the revenue they bring in, so add a cost check to every goal, for example a target cost per enquiry.
Where do goals fit in a plan?
Goals come first, then the plan to reach them. Once your goals are set, read how to write a marketing plan, and later check progress with is my marketing working.
If you'd like help setting realistic digital marketing goals for your business, our Growth Consulting service can work through them with you.