Setting goals – Measuring your progress
The objective of setting goals and your website business plan relates to the question “where you want your business to go”. What level of success are you looking for? How do you plan to get there?
Setting goals:
1. Setting goals helps to provide a template/blueprint. It helps us identify those items which are crucial to forward progress.
2. Provides a mechanism for evaluation.
a. If adjustments are needed along the way, we are aware of them.
b. Inadequacies can be addressed in a timely manner.
3. Provides motivation and helps to focus efforts.
Goal Setting Tips
1. Create goals that are measurable and obtainable (Be Precise) - Don’t set goals that are unrealistic. For example, set goals of 100,000 visitors to your new site in the first month. Although it is possible, in most cases it is unrealistic. Whenever possible, assign dates, times and or amounts to your goals.
2. Prioritize – Always prioritize. Everything needs to get done but certain things need to get done today, some tomorrow. By prioritizing we focus our efforts.
3. Develop and maintain accurate To-do-lists. – Creating a
website/building a business involves a lot of little steps. Some
of which, if done in sequence, makes things a lot easier later on in
the process.
For example, I am always asked about domain names chosen prior to a keyword search and a niche focus. Obviously, choosing a domain name after your keyword search would eliminate potential issues.
I have found the use of both a daily and monthly To-do- list most effective. The daily list helps you to focus on the day to day things that we need to accomplish. The monthly To-do-list helps us focus on the bigger picture and plan in advance where possible.
4. Remain flexible - Let’s face it, plans change and so do objectives. Remaining flexible helps us adjust to changes, especially the unexpected
a. Once you have decided on a set of plans, periodically review both the short and long term plans. Make adjustments as necessary.
Although setting goals can be tedious, the benefits derived from its feedback improve the management of the overall process. Let’s include goals in your plan today.
