When it comes to achieving goals, most businesses always seem to be falling short of the end target. Is it because we set goals that are humanly impossible to reach? Or is it that time speeds up its usual rhythm the moment it comes to know we have goals to attain? The answer obviously is neither of the two. Achieving goals that are challenging takes smart thinking, not just hard work. Here are 6 insights to include into your plan no matter what goal you have in your sight.
1 Have the right focus and strategy
A clear vision is one of the most important steps when setting out on the road to success. Knowing where you want to go and why, will impact everything right from the strategy you devise to the resources you allocate to the opportunities you unlock and eventually, the results you reap. Once you have clarity about your goals and a strategy to get you there, stick with it for just the right amount of time to know if it’s working or not. If it works, great. If it doesn’t, you’ll have to figure out a better path to your vision.
2 Track your performance
Knowing where you stand in relation to your goals is paramount. This is where maintaining clear records and statistics of the opportunities you land, work, convert or lose, will help you stay organized and on track. A constantly updated track sheet of your goals will let you know where and when you need to speed things up, slow things down or exit the situation.
3 Reassess your goals
Sometimes, businesses end up missing their goals because they weren’t pointed in the right direction. It’s easy to lose the big picture when you get fully immersed in the daily nitty-gritty of operations, maintenance, hiring, appraisals, accounting, administration and so on. So, take out time at periodic intervals to see whether you’re on course or off it. Regular course checks will help you detect and correct deviations before they really begin to cost you.
4 Create roadmaps to access opportunities
Opportunities seldom come your way by chance; they usually come owing to the choices you make. Put a structured plan in place that details how to get the opportunities you seek, coming your way. If you need key people or resources to get closer to your goals, chart out how you can gain access to these people or resources. Your roadmap also needs to list the ‘what next’ after what you seek comes your way. It’s only when you’re clear about how you need to be moving ahead at all points in time, in all situations or challenges, can you truly hope to make it to your goals.
5 Stay with the basics
Success in any discipline always comes down to having your fundamentals firmly in place. Many a time, entrepreneurs and businesses coaches forget the basic tenets or requirements of success or simply tend to take them for granted. If you’re to keep winning out there, you’ll need to not only attain but retain your mastery over key behaviors, attitudes, skill sets, practices and concepts that contribute to success in the marketplace.
6 Know your closing ratio / sales cycle
Do you need to speak with 10 prospects before you close a sale? Or is it 15? This magic number is your closing ratio. Plan your weekly efforts around this number so that you close enough sales to reach your set goal. Another way is to identify your sales cycle – the period it takes for you to close a sale. This could range from days to months. But knowing your average sales cycle will help you figure how many prospects you need to be working on, at any given time.
There’s no rule that says ‘Tough goals are meant to be set, not met’. If you set goals that are right, and follow this up with strategies, tactics and resources that are what’s needed, you’ll get to where every business wants to see itself. The finish line.
Learn more about the fundamentals of goals and how you can achieve it through the experts and best business coaches at Polaris One. Get a appointment booked today to increase your business growth.
