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bonus Goal Setting for 2010 Three practical tips to help plot your course and reach your goals in the new year. by Barbara Wayman As 2010 dawns, business owners must look at what’s ahead. One helpful way to identify your aspirational goals for the new year is to begin with the end in mind. Ask yourself, “If everything went perfectly next year, what would my business look like in December 2010?” How many employees would I have? How many customers? What would my gross revenues be? What would my net revenues be? What new services would I have launched? What new activities would I be doing? These types of questions can help you narrow down your aspirational goals. Another fun tool is to imagine yourself at your desk at the end of the year, and then in your mind, look around and write down some of the signs of success you see. Maybe there’s a waiting list for customers to purchase your service or a Lucite award on your shelf for being a rapidly growing business in your area. There could be a Twitter account on your computer monitor and you have 2,000 followers. Or do you see magazine articles about your business and the difference it’s making in people’s lives? I love this imagination tip because it causes things to pop up that you might not think about directly, but the desires are there. Finally to make these goals most likely to happen, use the S.M.A.R.T. system, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timed. Vagueness is the enemy when it comes to achieving your goals. Don’t just say you want to grow your business; make it a specific number, and put a deadline with it. And try to make sure it’s a stretch but also realistic for you. Only you can know what if it is. But if you did $100,000 last year and this year you want to do $5 million, your plan would definitely need to show a massive increase in resources to help you jump to that level. These three tips of beginning with the end in mind, imagining your environment at the end of the year and making your goals S.M.A.R.T. can help you chart your course for 2010. Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning e-zine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at www.bluetreemedia.com/ezine.html. ©2009 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC. |
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