I know what you’re thinking – boring! And yes, as tasks go setting communications objectives might seem to be a bit of a dull topic. But it is a VITAL one.
I realise though, that as a solopreneur or small business owner, managing your marketing seems never ending, and you just need to prioritise your time on getting those clients and paying customers through the ‘door’. This means your energy and focus is going into your marketing and comms tactics. The fun stuff (or at least the stuff that feels proactive)!
As someone who has worked in communications for over 10 years, I used to groan when it came to objective setting. I guess I thought I already knew what my aims were, and I was so busy that taking time out to recap on these seemed like a waste.
Over the years, I’ve realised the value in taking a step back. Refocusing on your core purpose can totally refresh your thinking. When you’re caught up in the everyday (I must reply to those 327 emails/I need to post a video on social/ my landing page needs updating/ I need to follow up on that speaker opportunity etc etc), it can help to reframe and make sure that all that time and effort is actually helping you achieve your objectives.
So, what are communications objectives anyway?
Communications and marketing objectives form the basis of your marketing strategy. And they should generally fall out of your overall business plan.
Sitting down to really nail down what your focus should be on for the next 6 or 12 months is super helpful. And yes, SMART goals (snore) are the only way to make sure you’ve got something tangible to measure against. There is no point setting a goal that is so totally out of reach you have no hope of achieving it. You’ll just end up feeling like a failure, and no one needs that kind of negativity.
Getting your objectives right means you can make sure your strategy and tactics are focused on achieving your goals. How many times have you finished a task where find yourself asking if it was actually worth the effort? Did you check it against your objectives?
How to set them
You might already have some communications objectives – give yourself a pat on the back! But when was the last time you reviewed them? Maybe now is the time.
The first step is to consider what overall business goals you have already. Which of these goals need communications activity to succeed?
Next, consider what your communications will need to do – raise awareness, educate on an issue, create desire, impart knowledge?
Then it’s time to get a bit more specific. Who will you be wanting to reach? Want will you need those audiences to do? Eg take an action, show behavioural change, build greater understanding? By when? And how will you know you’ve got there?
Your objectives may start off quite broad as your beginning the process of crafting a communications strategy. This means that you WILL need to revisit them! Right now, you probably need to be checking in every quarter to make sure they are still relevant, achievable and to refine them to be more specific as you understand your audience better.
We all get busy, and we all like to throw ourselves into the activities that will get results. Instant gratification has a lot to answer for!
However, sitting down to check you are on track is a really good habit to get into. And like most things, the more you do it, the less onerous it becomes!
If you need some expert advice on communications planning, let’s chat!