Sample Answer
A strategy is a path to successfully achieve your goals
Use this formula to answer all your goal setting.
Goals must be S.M.A.R.T.
Begin with : “To (action verb)……………………..”State the subject of the action or change and be specific: “…………………………………………….…..”
Identify measurable standards: From a current level of ………………………… to………………………. Determine the time frame for completion: Starting on ………………. reviewed by (very important that you establish milestones, review dates)…………………completed by ……………………..
You could start with “By………we will …………………………………………………………………
1. Increase company sales by 25% by 2021.
2. Achieve a market share of 30% for Product C within 3 years of launch.
3. Increase the percentage of customers who rate service as "excellent" from 70% to 95% within 18 months.
It is very important that you note the actions to be taken to achieve the stated goal and any third party help you may require
Marketing
Marketing goals are specific described in a marketing plan. These goals can be tasks, quotas, improvements in KPIs, or other performance-based benchmarks used to measure marketing success. When explicitly set, measurable goals are key for marketers to be successful.
o We need 20,000 visitors, 500 leads, and 12 customers within the next 12-months from our inbound marketing efforts in order to achieve our revenue goal of 600,000 from inbound marketing.
o We would like to generate 2 customers from our current client list using email marketing. We would also like to add all qualified leads to our mailing list, allowing us to keep these leads warm for future sales.
o We want to rank number one for the keyword term "widget consultant," since we estimate that it will generate 300 visitors to our website per month.
Public Relations (PR)
Public relations describe the actions a business or organization takes to shape perceptions of its brand and develop relationships with its customer base, target audience, partners, and other important stakeholders.
Building Product Awareness. ...
Creating Interest. ...
Providing Information. ...
Stimulating Demand. ...
Reinforcing the Brand.
Branding
Acquisition goal.
Acquire 50,000 new online customers this financial year at an average cost per acquisition (CPA) of £30 with an average profitability of £5 by 01/01/20xx
Digital channel contribution goal.
Achieve 10% online revenue contribution within two years.
Conversion objective. Increase the average order value of online sales to £42 per customer within 6 months from ……..
Generic method:
By {insert day, month, year}, the {insert your organization’s name} marketing team will reach {insert number} {insert metric} every {insert time frame}.
Guidance Notes
.Goals must be SMART as follows
S Specific Significant, Stretching, Simple, Sustainable
M Measurable Motivational, Manageable, Meaningful
A Attainable Appropriate, Achievable, Agreed, Assignable, Actionable, Adjustable, Ambitious.
R Relevant Results-Based, Results-Oriented, Resourced, Realistic, Reasonable.
T Time-Bound
Must have
Start date
Milestones
Finish date Timed, Time-Framed, Time-Specific, Timetabled, Time-limited, Trackable, Tangible.
Strategically Critical Guidance for Any Business or Project:
Vision and Mission: Clearly articulate your long-term aspirations and the core purpose of your endeavor. This acts as a guiding light for decision-making and resource allocation.
SWOT Analysis: Conduct a thorough assessment of your internal strengths and weaknesses, along with external opportunities and threats. This illuminates areas for enhancement and potential risks.
Target Audience: Deeply understand your customers' needs, preferences, and behaviors. This empowers you to tailor your offerings and marketing messages for maximum resonance.
Competitive Analysis: Scrutinize your rivals' strengths, weaknesses, and strategies. This helps you differentiate yourself and pinpoint areas where you can excel.
Financial Planning: Craft a realistic budget and financial projections. This ensures you possess the necessary resources to execute your plans and achieve your objectives.
Risk Management: Identify potential hazards and devise contingency plans. This enables you to mitigate negative impacts and ensure business continuity.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Track and analyze key metrics to gauge your progress and pinpoint areas for refinement. This facilitates informed decisions and optimizes your strategies.
Academic References:
Harvard Business Review: Offers a wealth of articles and case studies on various business topics, including strategy, marketing, and leadership. (https://hbr.org/)
McKinsey & Company: Provides insights and research on a wide range of industries and business functions. (https://www.mckinsey.com/)
MIT Sloan Management Review: Features articles and research on emerging technologies and their impact on business. (https://sloanreview.mit.edu/)
Strategic Critical Goals to Market Your Offering (Goods or Services):
Increase Brand Awareness: Expand reach and visibility through targeted marketing campaigns, social media engagement, and public relations efforts.
Generate Qualified Leads: Attract and capture potential customers who are genuinely interested in your offerings through content marketing, SEO, and lead generation strategies.
Improve Customer Engagement: Foster meaningful interactions with your audience through personalized communication, exceptional customer service, and loyalty programs.
Drive Sales Conversion: Optimize your sales funnel and implement effective strategies to convert leads into paying customers, utilizing persuasive messaging, targeted promotions, and streamlined purchasing processes.
Enhance Customer Retention: Nurture long-term relationships with your customers through post-purchase support, exclusive offers, and ongoing engagement to encourage repeat business and foster brand loyalty.
Understanding Goals
• Goal means An end towards which effort is directed
• A goal is a broad statement of what you want to accomplish
• Goal helps In defining the desired outcome or in specifying what you want
• Goal also helps In deciding about efforts
This is where you want to be over a period of 3 years i.e these are your strategic goals.
What we must achieve to be successful using the following guidance
You are to provide 3 SMART GOALS for either
Marketing
Branding or
Public Relations
You may wish to write 2 or three SMART GOALS in just one of these areas or any other combination but no more than a total of three
Always start your goals with an action verb, always include within your time frame a start date, milestones and a finish date.
Goals should relate to issues that are important and of an urgent nature
What do you want to accomplish in the time period? Be specific.
What specific steps do you plan to take to achieve that goal?
Public Relations (PR)
Public relations is the idea of creating coverage for clients for free, rather than marketing or advertising. ...
An example of good public relations would be generating an article featuring a client, rather than paying for the client to be advertised next to the article.
Branding
Brand goals are things such as brand awareness that increase brand entity. Brand goals are steps towards goals such as launching an advertising campaign.
Brand Awareness
Build/increase brand awareness and name recognition
Drive traffic to a website
Generate more search traffic and improve keyword rankings
Grow social media following
Attract new prospects
Obtain/increase coverage with key media (public relations)
Areas that you may consider:
Grow brand awareness.
Expand market share.
Enter new markets or territories.
Reach new audiences or demographics.
Increase website traffic.
Gain more social media followers.
Grow an email list.
Improve conversion rates.
Get more website or social media engagement.
Drive more click-throughs on paid ads.
Goals focused on strategically marketing your offering:
Increase Organic Website Traffic:
Specific: Boost organic traffic by 20% in 6 months.
Measurable: Track organic sessions via Google Analytics.
Achievable: Enhance SEO through keyword optimization, quality content creation, and backlink building.
Relevant: Drives brand visibility, lead generation, and conversions.
Time-Bound: 6-month timeframe promotes focus and urgency.
Enhance Lead Generation and Conversion:
Specific: Generate 100 qualified leads per month and increase conversion rate by 5% within a quarter.
Measurable: Track leads through CRM, monitor conversion rates from landing pages.
Achievable: Create compelling lead magnets (eBooks, webinars), optimize landing pages, and personalize email nurturing.
Relevant: More qualified leads and higher conversion rates directly impact revenue growth.
Time-Bound: Quarterly target ensures agile adaptation to results.
Amplify Social Media Engagement:
Specific: Grow social media following by 15% and increase post engagement (likes, shares, comments) by 10% within 3 months.
Measurable: Utilize social media analytics platforms for tracking.
Achievable: Craft engaging content tailored to each platform, interact with followers, run contests/giveaways.
Relevant: Builds brand community, fosters customer loyalty, and expands reach.
Time-Bound: 3-month timeframe allows for quick wins and adjustments.
Strengthen Brand Reputation and Authority:
Specific: Secure 5 positive media mentions in industry-leading publications within 12 months.
Measurable: Track media placements and analyze brand sentiment.
Achievable: Proactively pitch stories, build relationships with journalists, and participate in industry events.
Relevant: Builds credibility, enhances brand image, and attracts new customers.
Time-Bound: 12-month goal allows for consistent effort and relationship building.
Academic References:
HubSpot: Offers resources on inbound marketing and SEO best practices.
Content Marketing Institute: Provides insights and case studies on content marketing strategies.
Moz: Offers expert guidance on SEO and content optimization techniques.