Having Definitive Online Marketing Goals

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”
-Tony Robbins

Online marketing is not magic. There is no switch to flick that creates success. If there was we’d all be jet setting across the globe in our private Airbus A380s. As in life, online marketing requires hard work, discipline, dedication. These character traits are admirable qualities, no doubt, especially when the cause is just.

In saying that, I’m reminded of that scene in Forrest Gump, in the middle of the desert, where the wildly bearded Forrest suddenly stops running, turns to the crowd that is following him and says, “I think I’ll go home now”.

Forrest had a reason to run, but the crowd following him just saw someone dedicated and decided to emulate what they saw as success. There’s a random exclamation, “now what are we supposed to do?”

There are many successful companies out there that have successfully used online marketing to increase their brand recognition, their size, and ultimately their bottom line profits. There are also many companies that have jumped into online marketing with a desire to emulate these successful companies. The issue many face is they are basing their goals on the perceived achievements of others. A successful company has a vision, a plan and an implementation strategy. Every company is different and in the rapidly and ever- changing world of online marketing, every entry into the market needs to have goals specific to that company, industry and marketplace.

Many of my clients have clear goals specific to their industry, their company and often, with the sole traders or partnerships, related to their personal goals. Having a clear long term goal makes it easier to strategise, which results in shorter term goals. Keeping in mind that Online Marketing is not magic and requires work, dedication and discipline, short term goals remind us that we are progressing, that we are on our way.

Consider these two goal statements, let us just say they are from the same person in alternative universes:

“I just want more leads.”

“A successful week is two sales, which I can close from ten qualified leads if I am to be conservative.”

The first goal statement is something I think we have all said at some point in our careers. Everyone wants more sales and leads. But what is more? If this person was getting one lead a week, then two the next, have they achieved their goal? What if they receive three hundred leads, but not one of them is qualified, is the goal worth it? Obviously not.

The key to the second goal statement is the ability to measure success. If this alternative reality person needs ten leads to make two sales, they need to work out how to get ten leads. If they have ten leads, they are happy.

Clear and measurable, a goal like this can be achieved with Online Marketing using hard work, discipline and dedication to the data. An Online Marketing Specialist loves this type of goal.

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