So many times, people confuse goals, objectives, strategies and tactics. Or worse yet, jump straight into tactics without any sort of plan. Today, we're going to demystify the path to project success.
There are 5 parts.
1. THE GOAL
A clear statement of a desired outcome.
It does not say how to do something, but what the results should be.
Example:
- Increase donor gifts.
2. THE OBJECTIVE
A concrete outline of the criteria to be met to reach your goal.
The objective sets a target so that the strategy can be planned around it.
An objective should be SMART.
S - Specific : What exactly do you want to achieve?
M - Measurable: Can you monitor your progress?
A - Attainable: Is it something that you have control over?
R - Relevant : Is it applicable to the goal?
T - Time-Bound: What is your deadline?
Example:
- Increase new donor giving 15% by the end of 2019.
3. THE STRATEGY
The plan of action to achieve a goal.
This is your overarching vision to ensure all your activities contribute to your goal.
Example:
- Generate increased understanding of agency services among our target audience to set the stage for the Advancement Director to meet with potential donors.
4. THE TACTICS
Specific activities used in implementing your strategy.
Examples:
- Create/implement an advertising campaign
- Increase PR efforts
- Increase number of external agency events
5. THE METRICS
Measurement of your results.
And these measurements must be relevant to your objective or they are useless.
Examples:
- Year-over-year giving
- Word-of-mouth references
- Direct web searches
If you take this process one step at a time, and include EVERY step, you'll be sure to stay on track and avoid any activity that's not aligned with your goal.
You can find a handy reminder chart here.