What Are SMART Goals? (Plus How To Write Them)

Successful businesses and individuals are where they are because they know how to achieve their goals. The ability to set and accomplish goals separates successful establishments from failures.

As a business leader, you have a list of goals. But are you sure these goals are achievable? SMART goal setting can make them attainable.

We will cover all essential details on the SMART framework, including its importance and how to write SMART goals.

What Are SMART Goals?

The SMART acronym represents Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Hence, the SMART framework is a tool for setting clear, attainable, and trackable goals.

You can use this framework to set all kinds of goals, from project goals to organizational objectives. You can also use it for personal goal setting.

How To Write SMART Goals.

You can write a SMART goal through each element in the SMART framework.

Specific.

The first thing about SMART goals is that they are specific. The more specific your goal, the more achievable it will be.

An example of a specific goal is "Bring in new clients by launching an online marketing campaign. Such a goal gives you a target and a roadmap to achieving it".

Measurable.

The next element in the tool ensures that your goal is trackable. It will be challenging to track progress if you don't have a quantifiable objective.

So, how do you create measurable SMART goals? You incorporate key performance indicators.

An example of measurable goals is "Bring in 200 new clients by launching online marketing campaigns on three platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter".

Achievable.

The A in SMART symbolizes achievable goals. It's the goal-setting stage where you consider the feasibility of your project.

While aiming high is good, you will waste resources if your objective is unachievable. Imagine setting a professional goal that requires you to master a new programming language in two days. That's unachievable. We felt the same way too.

If we take our earlier example through this, we may have to make some based on the company's capacity. Our new Smart goal will look like this "Bring in 150 new clients by launching online marketing campaigns on three platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter". YouTube and Instagram".

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Relevant.

Now is the time to look at the bigger picture. How does the goal align with your company's vision and values? Does it contradict your long-term goals?

Let's assume one of your organization's long-term objectives is to attract more Gen Z customers. Our example aligns with that objective since the Gen Z population spends much time online.

Hence, our example will look like this "Bring in 150 new clients by launching online marketing campaigns on two platforms, including YouTube and Instagram. We expect most of these clients to be Gen Z".

Time Bound.

The final step in the framework is to attach a time frame to your goal. Without a target date, the project's starting and completion dates will remain unclear.

Adding a time frame to our example, "Bring in 150 new clients before the end of 2022. We plan to achieve this by launching online marketing campaigns on two platforms, YouTube and Instagram, in October 2022. We expect most of these clients to be Gen Z".

Advantages of SMART Goals.

The SMART model offers individuals, teams, and businesses several benefits. Here are the major ones:

• It boosts the chances of achieving success
• It provides a clear roadmap
• It eliminates guesswork
• It helps to measure success
• It ensures that goals are met within a specific timeframe
• It helps companies pursue relevant goals
• It ensures team members are on the same page

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Download a SMART Goal Template.

Now that you have seen examples of SMART goals and know how to write them, it's time to get to work. You can save valuable by downloading our SMART goals PowerPoint template. It is professionally designed and fully editable.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is a SMART goal, in simple words?

A SMART goal is specific, trackable, time-bound, and achievable.

How do you write a SMART goal?

You can write a SMART goal by ensuring your objective is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

Where can I download a SMART goal template?

You can get a SMART goal presentation template from Simple Slides.

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