- SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound.
- Rewriting a vague goal as a SMART goal makes it easier to plan and measure.
- Goals describe the outcome you want; KPIs are the numbers that show progress toward it.
- Review goals regularly and adjust them when circumstances change.
What SMART means
SMART is a simple checklist for writing goals. Each letter tests one quality. The numbers and dates in the examples on this page are hypothetical. They show how to write a goal and are not benchmarks for what any business should achieve.
Specific
A specific goal says exactly what you want to change and where. It names the service, the customer or the channel rather than the business as a whole.
Before: Get more customers.
After: Win more commercial maintenance contracts from property managers.
Measurable
A measurable goal includes a number you can track, and you know where that number will come from.
Before: Grow our email list.
After: Add 200 new email subscribers through the sign-up form on our website.
Achievable
An achievable goal stretches you but fits your budget, time and team. If you cannot resource it, it will become a source of frustration rather than a guide.
Before: Be the busiest business in town.
After: Book 15 more appointments a month in our quietest season with the budget we already have.
Relevant
A relevant goal supports what the business needs most right now. If keeping existing customers matters more than finding new ones, your marketing goals should reflect that.
Before: Get a viral video.
After: Increase renewals of annual service plans among existing customers.
Time bound
A time-bound goal has a deadline or a review date, which turns intention into a plan.
Before: Redesign the website eventually.
After: Launch the updated service pages before our busy season begins.
Turning vague goals into SMART goals
Most goals start as a feeling: we need to be busier, the phone should ring more, we want to be better known. That is a fine starting point. Write the feeling down, then ask five questions about it.
What exactly do we want more of? How will we count it, and where will the number come from? Can we achieve it with the time, budget and people we have? Why does it matter now, and what business problem does it solve? By when do we want it, and when will we check progress?
The answers turn a vague hope into something you can plan for. The rewritten goal will be longer, and that is the point. It now tells you what to do, what to measure and when to look again.
If you have several goals, rank them. Two or three clear priorities are easier to pursue than a long list of equals.
Examples by business type
These examples show the same process applied to different kinds of businesses. All numbers and dates are hypothetical.
| Business type | Vague goal | SMART version |
|---|---|---|
| Home service company | We want more service calls. | Book 40 more repair appointments from search ads by the end of the summer season, tracked through call tracking. |
| Retail shop | We need more people in the store. | Increase weekend visits from people who found us on our business profile by 15 percent this quarter, compared with last quarter. |
| Restaurant | We need a better lunch rush. | Reach 30 online lunch orders a day on weekdays by the end of next month through a local social campaign. |
| Professional service firm | Get more qualified leads. | Generate 20 consultation requests from businesses in our service area over the next six months through email and content. |
| Hospitality venue with seasonal demand | Fill the slow months. | Secure 10 private event bookings for our quiet season, with outreach starting well before it begins. |
Notice that each SMART version names the outcome, how it will be counted, the channel or method, and a time frame. Your own numbers should come from your history, capacity and budget.
Goals vs KPIs
Goals and KPIs work together but are not the same. A goal is the outcome you want, such as more maintenance contracts or more lunch orders. KPIs, or key performance indicators, are the numbers you watch along the way to see whether you are on track.
For a goal of more consultation requests, KPIs might include visits to the consultation page, the share of visitors who submit a request and the cost of each request. If the KPIs move in the right direction, the goal is likely to follow. If they stall, you know where to look before the deadline arrives.
Keep the list of KPIs short and tied to the goal. A few numbers you review regularly are more useful than a long list you skim.
Reviewing and adjusting goals
Writing goals is the start, not the end. Build a regular review into your routine, often enough that you can still change course before a deadline, and look at progress against each goal and its KPIs.
If you are behind, ask why. The cause may be the channel, the message, the budget or something outside your control, such as a change in demand. Adjust the plan, or the goal if it was unrealistic. If you are ahead, consider whether to raise the target or shift attention to the next priority. Either way, write down what you changed and why, so the next round of goals is better informed.
Keep a simple record of each goal, its KPIs and the dates you reviewed it. Over time, that record shows what kinds of goals your business tends to reach and where your estimates were too optimistic or too cautious.
Plan reviews around your calendar, too. Busy seasons and key dates are natural points to check whether your goals still fit.
Frequently asked questions
What is an example of a SMART marketing goal?
Here is a hypothetical example: add 50 new email subscribers from our local service area within the next 30 days by offering a helpful guide on our website. It is specific about the audience and method, measurable by a number, achievable for the effort involved, relevant to building a customer list and time bound with a clear deadline.
How many marketing goals should a small business have?
A few clear ones at a time. With too many goals, attention and budget get spread thin and it becomes hard to tell what is working. Choose the goals that matter most for the business right now, make each one SMART, and add new ones as earlier goals are met or priorities change.