Setting a New Year’s Resolution? It’s Time to Get SMART

Are you making a resolution to make 2021 your most successful year ever? It’s common to start the year determined to stick to your resolutions, but easy to get distracted.  Unfortunately, only 8 percent of people turn their resolutions into habits or goals they’ve accomplished. 

There are many reasons that cause people to break their resolutions within a couple of months of creating them - from setting overwhelmingly ambitious goals to getting distracted by the hustle and bustle that comes along with a new year. But there is a strategy that you can implement to help you conquer those goals you set in place for 2021—all you have to do embrace the SMART method.

SMART is an acronym that that stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. It was created specifically to increase efficiency in management and can be applied directly to your objectives for your salon or spa. 

Let’s break it down a little further.

Specific: You need to make sure that your have a very clear view of what you’re trying to achieve. Having a clearer goal in place from the beginning can help set you up for success. Instead of just saying “I want to increase revenue,” try saying “I want to increase revenue by 10% by expanding my services menu and creating promotions throughout the year.” 

Measurable: You should define how you’ll measure your accomplishments like the revenue example above. Ideally you should define a metric as well as a timeframe to guide when you’ll check in to assess progress. For example, if you’d like to grow your Facebook following in the new year, you’d measure that progress in the number of people that like your page. 

Attainable: Try to set an objective that is achievable but will also hold you accountable. Setting a goal that is too large or too small can trigger a sudden halt in your momentum. You know by now that having an influential and active Instagram account is the perfect opportunity to tell potential customers what your salon or spa is all about. Growing your Instagram following should be a goal you set for your business every single year to ensure you are reaching your target audience. Instead of just saying “I want to increase my Instagram following,” put a specific number on it. If you have 500 Instagram followers, make it a goal to have 2,000 by the end of the year. But don’t expect to be able to grow it to 2 million. There are some people who experience viral growth like that, but they’re very few. If you set an unrealistic goal, you’re more likely to lose momentum when it seems out of reach. Set yourself up for success with a more attainable goal. 

Relevant: Each year, you probably make it a goal to increase your client base and customer retention. A simple and effective way to achieve this is by offering your clients the ability to book online and make purchases through your website. In fact, 60% of consumers want the option to book online from local businesses and 42% of online bookings happen after business hours. With staggering numbers like that, offering this type of convenience with undoubtedly help you grow your client base in no time - and instant gratification like that will help you stay on track with your goals. 

Time-bound: Be realistic with your timeline when it comes to attaining your goals. Make sure you are giving yourself and your business enough time to focus on the steps it would take to hold yourself accountable with your resolution. This means celebrating smalls wins that help you get closer to your end-goal. Don’t expect your customer base to grow overnight, look at your progress month-over-month and take note of which strategies are bringing more clients in and which ones are not as effective. 

Although we know it’s easy to become an idealist the first few days into the new year, it’s important to remember that your resolutions are ultimately a tool to help you grow your spa or salon into what you want it to be. Making a resolution to expand your brand with purpose and passion will motivate you to stick to your goals all year long.