Learn how to set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to boost your chances of success in business, health, education, and more. Discover the psychology behind effective goal setting and get a step-by-step guide to applying SMART goals to your marketing strategy.
Ever set a New Year's resolution that fizzled out by February? How many diets or lifestyle changes do you promise yourself you’ll start on Monday only to never happen? You're not alone. Whether you're planning a marketing campaign or training for a marathon, the difference between a wish and an achievement often comes down to how you set your goals. That's where SMART goals come in.
SMART is more than just a clever acronym. It's a powerful framework developed by George T. Doran in 1981 when he published a paper in Management Review titled "There's a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management's Goals and Objectives." Since then, it's been embraced by organizations worldwide. Here's what each letter means:
The effectiveness of SMART goals isn't just business theory – it's backed by psychology. Dr. Edwin Locke and Dr. Gary Latham, pioneers in goal-setting theory, found that specific, challenging goals led to higher performance 90% of the time. Their research, published in American Psychologist, showed that well-structured goals work by:
This isn’t a marketing buzzword or the beginnings of a cult, it’s a learning tool that can be applied by anyone for lots of situations. Let's look at how SMART goals work in different scenarios:
It’s not just adding detail, it’s about adding quantitative detail - hard metrics you can achieve which add up to achieving a specific goal.
This method doesn’t need a doctoral thesis behind it, it’s just about having a proper think about what you want to achieve and breaking it down. Let’s say you’ve got a marketing goal you want to achieve - you want more organic website traffic:
Instead of "improve website traffic," try:
"Increase organic search traffic to our blog posts about inbound marketing by targeting long-tail keywords"
Add numbers to your goal:
"Increase organic search traffic by 50%, from 10,000 to 15,000 monthly visitors"
Use your current data to check if your numbers are realistic:
One of the benefits of using SMART goals for marketing is channel alignment. Growing organic traffic might be a core objective for search but what about social or CRM? Each channel will have different specific goals but you’ll usually have one or two goals that are applicable across all channels.
"This traffic increase will help us generate 100 more qualified leads monthly, supporting our Q3 sales targets"
Having a deadline isn’t about adding pressure, it’s to help you manage micro components of your goals. If your original specific goal hasn’t been achieved in your timeframe, this doesn’t mean you’ve failed, it means you need to readjust your goals for next time. With regular progress reporting, it’s much easier to achieve the original goal.
"Achieve this 50% traffic increase by December 31st, with monthly progress reviews"
Research by Dr. Gail Matthews at Dominican University examined the impact of goal setting. Matthews recruited a wide range of participants from all over the world and across a variety of industries. These participants were separated into five groups.
As you’d expect, the success rate of those who achieved their goals increased with each group. Those in group 5, who had specific goals with commitments and support were more likely to achieve their goals than those in the groups beneath them. Whereas those in group 1 who merely had to think about their goals were the least likely to achieve them.
SMART goals are a psychological theory, they’re not a magic spell. Just because you follow this plan, it doesn’t mean everything will always work. In most cases, if your goals haven’t been achieved, it will come down to one of these reasons:
Focus on 2-3 key objectives at a time. There has now been several pieces of research that proves multitasking doesn’t actually work. Yes, we’re capable of doing several things at once, but the more we’re splitting our attention, the less likely we are to complete those tasks effectively and efficiently.
Make sure there’s a realistic challenge. Whilst you don’t want to overload your goals, you don’t want to make it too easy either. If you know you’ve set a goal that’s very easy to achieve, you’re more likely to procrastinate or blow it off completely.
Schedule regular check-ins. As Matthews research proved, making sure you’re being held accountable will increase your chances of achieving your goals. Whether you’re setting SMART goals to get jobs done round the house or for a work project, enlisting the help of others will help you stay on track.
Remember, SMART goals aren't just about business metrics – they're about creating meaningful change in any area of life. Whether you're launching a marketing campaign or learning to play guitar, the SMART framework can help turn your aspirations into achievements.
Start small, be specific, and keep tracking your progress. With SMART goals as your guide, you're not just hoping for success – you're planning for it.
.svg)