How to set marketing goals that work
What you'll learn
- →Why most marketing goals fail
- →The SMART framework (with examples)
- →Leading vs. lagging indicators
- →Building a quarterly review cadence
Before you start
- □12 months of baseline data
- □A planning meeting block
Goals that aren't measurable are wishes. Here's a small-business-friendly system that takes 90 minutes a quarter.
The steps
- Step 01
Start with revenue
What's the company revenue target this quarter? Marketing goals must roll up to that.
- Step 02
Convert revenue into volume
If revenue target is $100K and AOV is $50, you need 2,000 orders. If close rate is 10%, you need 20,000 leads.
- Step 03
Set 3 SMART goals max
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. More than 3 = no focus.
- Step 04
Pick leading indicators
Email signups predict sales. Website visits don't always. Track inputs you can control.
- Step 05
Build a weekly scorecard
5–7 numbers reviewed every Monday. Quick gut check on trajectory.
- Step 06
Hold a 90-minute quarterly review
What hit, what missed, what's next. Set Q+1 goals before Q ends.
- Step 07
Kill goals that no longer matter
If the world changed, the goal should too. Sunk-cost is poison.
Common questions
+How many goals is too many?
More than 3 quarterly goals = nothing gets done.
+Annual or quarterly?
Set annual direction, quarterly action.
+What if I miss?
Review honestly. Were the goals wrong, the execution off, or the world unexpected?
+Should I share goals publicly?
Internal yes; external rarely — competitors notice.
+Best framework?
OKRs work for teams; SMART for solo founders.
What to do next
Social Perks turns happy customers into a marketing team. Free 14-day trial. No card required.
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