STEP 3

Develop SMART Objectives to Achieve Amazing Nonprofit Marketing Results

GOALS vs. OBJECTIVES: Goals often point to a larger purpose, a long-term vision, or a less tangible result, whereas objectives tend to be time-limited, measurable actions with tangible outcomes that help push progress toward broader goals.

The best way to refine your objectives is by using something called the SMART objective framework. SMART stands for:

  • Specific: Choose an objective with one key result. Include descriptive details about what exactly your nonprofit is aiming to achieve, why and how it will support your mission.

  • Measurable: Be sure your goal has clear performance indicators that will help you measure performance later on. You’ll also want to ensure you have the tools available to measure your progress toward those KPIs along the way.

  • Achievable (but Ambitious): Given your current reality (time, money, expertise, help, etc.), choose something you know you can set out to do, but will also push you to learn more.

  • Relevant: Effective objectives contribute to the organization’s overall success. Increasing donations may be more tied to your organization’s overall objectives, while simply increasing Twitter followers may not.

  • Time-based: Create a realistic deadline you want to achieve this by. Then, set doable milestones along the way.

Examples of SMART Goals

Let’s take a look at it in the context of marketing. For example, if your primary marketing goal is “raising awareness,” then some sample SMART objectives could be:

  • 50% increase in blog traffic by March.

  • 25% increase in social media shares by July.  

  • 10% increase in Facebook post impressions by October. 

  • 3,000 video views on YouTube by January. 

  • 10% increase in your email open rate by May.

Once you’ve refined your SMART objectives, work with your team to set a schedule for activities that will help you achieve those goals.

All organizations are different and will have different SMART objectives to match their primary goals. To find the right numbers for your organization, look at the existing marketing benchmarks or estimate to the best of your ability. 

Marketing Plan