2016 is almost over!
For us, the end of the year means a lot of business planning. We've learned a lot about setting goals for businesses and we want to share tips for you if the process leaves you feeling overwhelmed. (We've even asked a couple of friends from the Businessese HQ group to contribute.)
Tips for Setting Goals for Your Blog
Before you set new goals, take time to reflect on the past year.
Earlier this year, we wrote about our favorite podcasts for bloggers. We gave Racheal Cook an honorable mention and lamented that she didn't have a regular weekly podcast. We're delighted that she has launched Uncomplicate Your Business and it is soooo good. Racheal did an outstanding episode on goal setting that focused on reviewing the past year. Before you set new goals, look at what worked and what didn't work. After you complete your review, you can then gain clarity on the kinds of goals that you should set for your business. We strongly recommend checking out Racheal's podcast on the topic for more info. (And she has a great workbook to walk you through your year-in-review.)
Set goals based on how you want to feel.
If you're already a fan of Danielle LaPorte, this one will be familiar. In The Desire Map, Danielle guides you through the process of setting goals based on how you want to feel. (Check out her video on the Desire Map.) Now, we know, you may be thinking, this seems a little too woo for me. And we understand (and maybe felt that way too!). But, consider it. What if you look at your goals and say, okay, what is driving me and how do I want to feel at the end of the day? Confident? Secure? Powerful? Less stressed?
When you know how you want to feel after checking everything off your to-do list, it helps you reverse engineer your goals.
Your goals should be realistic.
Remember to create goals that are achievable and realistic. Think about your business honestly and determine what you can and can't do. For example, it may be unrealistic to publish your first course within a month if you don't have any of the tools and aren't sure where to start. Instead, allow yourself more time to achieve the goals. Consider your skills, resources, and time.
Make your goals specific.
When you consider your overall goals, think about exactly what you want to achieve. Make it specific. Rather than say, I want more traffic, set more specific goals— for example, increase traffic from Pinterest by 50%. The more specific your goals, the easier to measure the results and determine if you are on target.
Put your goals in writing.
This may seem simple, but create a written plan with your goals. It can be on paper or online. Having a plan written down allows you to revisit your goals and stay focused on achieving them.
Plan your goals for each quarter.
We're sure you've heard references to the 90-day year or the 12-week year. All of the gurus are talking about it, with good reason. It's hard to plan out a year's worth of goals at one time. Your business changes. The market changes.
Instead, plan your goals in 3-month chunks. Consider what you want to achieve during first quarter. And, as a blogger, remember when you have more time to work on projects versus content. Offers for sponsored content usually peak in fourth quarter. Because of this, you should use Q2 and Q3 to consider analyzing your pricing and services. Use it to update your marketing materials. Start pitching brands.
When you handle your goals in smaller chunks, you can make a better plan to execute.
Your goals are the first step. Your implementation plan is next.
Nicole Culver from the Blissful Bites Podcast is one of our go-to experts on setting and achieving goals. She said:
Creating goals is important but what's more important are the projects + plans you create to REACH your goals! Make sure after you write your goals you write out a list of projects and plans to get there. I like to plan in 90 day chunks so it's actionable and reachable and not too far off to procrastinate!
Don't be afraid to revise your goals as the year progresses.
Veronica from Blog Xpressions gave this great tip:
Re-evaluate your business goals every 3 months. That way, you won't lose focus of your goals. Sometimes with our busy lives, we tend to forget to execute our goals. If we set aside some time and re-evaluate, we'll have a better chance of accomplishing them. Put a note in your digital calendar to ping you every quarter so you'll know where you stand!
Don't forget to set at least one BHAG.
A BHAG is a big hairy audacious goal, coined in the book Built to Last. This is your long term goal. Where do you want to be in the future? Want to see your business break seven figures? Want to get your work week down to ten hours? Want to have a team working for you? Nothing is too big for your BHAG. It gives you a chance to really plan for your ultimate company vision. Once you know where you ultimately want to be, you can base your other goals on helping you incrementally achieve that goal.
You Got This!
Dream big for 2017! We want to hear all about the goals you are setting for your business. Chat with us in the Businessese HQ on Facebook.
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