Progress, in life and in business, requires a pointed and organized plan. Pablo Picasso is quoted as saying, “Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.” That is the attitude we take towards assuring business and event goals for ourselves and our clients as members of the Client Success team at Cvent. In each discussion with our customers, we strive to define, work towards, and achieve goals together. Have you had a recent discussion with your Cvent Account Team about your goals? The best goals for proving marked return on investment (ROI) are SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Specific: What do you want to accomplish?
Be specific - Cover your 5 W’s: Who, What, Where, Which and Why. Make it tangible; leave no room for question or confusion!
Non-Specific Goal: Have a simple process.
SMART Goal: Provide a brief registration process for registrants that requires less than 10 minutes, produces no negative feedback post-registration, and requires no offline Q&A.
Measurable: How will you know you accomplished it?
Make your goals quantifiable so there’s no question if the goal was met. Set a number or statistic to your goal to make it measurable. This sets a definition of goal success – a clear success or failure line.
Immeasurable Goal: Increase attendees.
SMART Goal: Increase attendees by 10% over the same event last year through increased marketing efforts.
Achievable: Is it within your capability to complete it?
A goal requires ambition, but if a goal is unreasonable, it cannot be met. Make the goals attainable – the next goal can always be loftier!
Unachievable Goal: Double event revenue.
SMART Goal: Increase event revenue by 20% through additional marketing efforts via social media, emails, and web widgets leading to an increase in registrations and a $20 admission fee increase across the board.
Relevant: Does it matter to your organization?
Stay on mission – what is most important for your company’s needs? Keep your goals focused on what you really need.
Irrelevant Goal: Increase website traffic.
SMART Goal: Increase foot traffic to registrant conversions by 35% with early bird discounts and added registration benefits.
Timely: When do you want it accomplished?
Put an end date on it – this way you have a period to evaluate success before setting another goal. Nothing gets done without motivation – a deadline provides that.
Untimely Goal: Increase membership by half.
SMART Goal: Increase membership by half by the end of the year through added marketing efforts.
While these constraints do not guarantee a goal will be met, they provide a clear direction and a format that supports success. Get started on transitioning your goals into SMART goals today. As Stephen King said, “You can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will.”
This post was authored by Samantha Hedrick, Onboarding Specialist at Cvent. After completing a degree in Marketing, Sam found a passion for business research and writing in Client Success. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and learning something new! Originally from Michigan, she isn't a fan of the cold and is drawn toward warmer climates!
