Well defined goals for your entrepreneurial business (particularly your website) aren’t just a good business practice, they define opportunities for your success and set you on the path to it in 2019!
Does your goal list look a little like this picture? Then your first goal for 2019 should be to keep reading ;)
[POST IT PICTURE]
Before you can set your entrepreneurial business goals for 2019, you need to keep a few things in mind to make sure you’re successful:
- Know where you stand- right now! You need to know exactly what the strengths and weaknesses of your business are if you plan on improving them. Almost everything is measurable (this will be a recurring theme) and you can’t fix what you don’t know is broken.
- Be realistic. We all have lofty goals but it doesn’t do you, or your business, any good if the goals are based on fantasy and not reality.
- Dig into the details. The image above is the average American’s to-do list-which would works great for things like “get gas” and “pay cable” but your business requires just a little more detail. Ok, a lot more detail! Your goals need to be laser sharp, crystal clear, achievable, and well defined. (As well as realistic and measurable!)
Feeling a bit lost! Don’t worry, we’re going to walk you through some of the most common goals and how to set them for yourself.
Vague Vs. Focused Business Goals
Vague | Focused |
Increase Sales | Increase internet based sales 7.5% by the 3rd quarter |
Show up on more searches | Improve search optimization results so that “XYZ” ranks in top 5 for Google results by June |
Setting the right goals the right way is crucial to success!
Your success as an entrepreneur and website owner depends on it!
Why Set Goals In 2019
Would an architect build a house without a plan? An architect’s plans are a series of goals to be completed by a variety of different people at different stages- to achieve a common goal, build a house.
Goals are your businesses’ plan of action. Providing vision and clarity, goals motivate and give direction to you and your business.
Great goal setting measures progress and gives accountability to those involved. My favorite part of setting and achieving goals is the sense of accomplishment I feel. I have to be honest, sometimes when I complete a goal that wasn’t on the list, I’ll add it just so I can cross it off! Completing a goal just feels good.
The average business will lose 5-7% of its business year over year (customers choose another brand, the product no longer applies to them, etc.) Think about that, to be successful, your 2019 goals will need to include your assumed loss. So if you preemptively know you’re going to be taking two steps back, in order to see success you’ll need to take at least 3 steps forward in your business.
When thinking about your website goals it is suggested that you plan your increases (or decreases) based on a mix of percentages and whole numbers (like in the examples we used above).
Without knowing where you start and having clear numbers to strive to, you won’t know if the effort you’re putting into your business is truly paying off. Additionally, you can’t just set the goals and think what you’re currently doing will get you there, think out a few tactics that will add up to successfully reaching your goals!
4 Goals That Will Improve Your Website in 2019!
(Your business is unique and the suggestions that follow are examples of how you could formulate your goals. You need to do the customize your goals to fit your individual business.)
INCREASE YOUR WEBSITE TRAFFIC
A well defined goal would be: Increase monthly visitors from 800 to 1,200 (33%) in the next 3 months.
Spreading brand awareness is critical to getting people to take the first step: Visiting your website. Here’s some tactics to help you reach your goal:
- Step up your email campaigns
- Have a consistent blog that develops relationships and strengthens your stance as an expert
- Join a Facebook group related to your industry
- Be active on social media
BUILD YOUR EMAIL LIST
Specifically: You want your lead magnets to be compelling so that prospects
freely give you their information. You want to want to increase email sign-up by 35% in 2019.
Lead magnets are an excellent way to show your customers you value them. Lead magnets offer your customers valuable (typically free) information in exchange for their email address.
What makes up a compelling lead magnet (well we have a whole article on them, check it out by
clicking here)?
- It’s specific-finding a problem and solving it
- It has a high perceived value
- It’s easy to get (quick download in right in their email inbox)
- It’s easy to consume (read, use, listen to-whatever option is best for your audience!)
IMPROVE YOUR CONVERSION RATE
A clear goal: Improve conversion rate from 1.5% to 4.5% over the next 3 quarters, 1% per quarter, .3% per month. This goal, in particular, has an awareness of the current conversion rate and a breakdown of the goal in a slow progression.
This one goal will have many sub-goals that need to be accomplished to achieve it.
- Analyze your product, does it fill a need?
- What’s the value proposition for your prospect?
- Is your website easy to navigate?Or do visitors get frustrated and leave?
- Do you have Eye Popping-Attractive headlines
HAPPIER CUSTOMERS
Make it focused: Increase your business’ response to all customers to 100%. Improve response time for positive feedback from 2 days (if at all) to under 8 hours or at start of next business day. Ensure negative feedback replies improve from 74% replied to within 1.5 days- to 100% replies to in under 3 hours.
This is a laser focused goal with clear expectations. You know if you are reaching it or not.
Customers expect incredibly fast replies from the businesses they support. Your response time and how you take care of people will be noticed. Who you are and how you treat people is more valuable than the product you sell. Measure your reviews.
- Did you claim your business on all the platforms where your business may be reviewed? Yelp, Trip Advisor, Yahoo, Google, etc. There are dozens of places to be reviewed.
- Once you claim your business, set your alerts to receive notifications every time someone is talking about you.
- Respond directly and personally
- If it’s a great review respond with a thank you
- If it’s not, respond with a thank you and be accountable - then take it offline (call or email directly to resolve the issue). Don’t converse on a platform. Do not debate a customers unhappiness, accept they are unhappy and see if there is anything you can do (within reason) to change their experience with your business.
So What Are Your 2019 Entrepreneur Business Goals Going To Be?
You’re an entrepreneur, a business owner, and you’re ready to define your success in 2019 by setting specific goals. Your new goals should be researched, thoughtful, achievable, and in case I forgot, MEASURABLE!
Take the guesswork out of your statistics and by streamline your processes to make your life easier. Not sure where to start, head to our Facebook group Online Entrepreneurs and share the the vague goals you’re starting with and our fantastic community will help you discover the measurable goals behind them!
Goals are what will grow your business and help you achieve financial success. Take them seriously and take pride when you accomplish them!