This document provides guidance on writing SMART objectives. It explains that objectives must be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-specific. Examples of good and bad objectives are given to illustrate these criteria. The document emphasizes that just because objectives are SMART does not mean they are wise, and encourages ensuring objectives have "space" and are reasonable to implement.

1. ©2021 Steven Litt. All rights reserved. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated or posted publicly to a website in a whole or in part.
Marketers!
Professor Steven Litt
@StrategySteven
Ready to draft Business or Marketing Objectives?
Drafting S.M.A.R.T. Objectives: PRACTICAL TIPS

2. SMART Objectives
by Steven Litt
@strategysteven
©2021 Steven Litt . All rights reserved. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated or posted publicly to a website in a whole or in part.

3. SMART Objectives
Unfortunately, misguided online ‘authorities’ & ‘helper’
sites have long relayed incorrect information about
writing Objectives.
Why should you care?
The ability to write SMART Objectives to
help a team pursue success, is a KEY
SKILL for a manager.
©2021 Steven Litt . All rights reserved. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated or posted publicly to a website in a whole or in part.

4. Where do we find ideas for our SMART Objectives?
● If your business publishes ‘key metrics’ (in the
Annual Report, etc), that’s a fine place to start
● Consider: What is important to your company?
Start with this ‘bigger picture’- then consider:
○ What can YOUR department do, to contribute to
that success?
©2021 Steven Litt . All rights reserved. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated or posted publicly to a website in a whole or in part.

5. What is the idea behind ‘SMART’ Objectives?
each & every one of your (typically 3 to 6) Business
Objectives must meet ALL 5 ‘S.M.A.R.T.’ criteria:
EACH & EVERY Objective must be
● Specific AND
● Measurable AND
● Achievable AND
● Relevant AND
● Time-Specific
©2021 Steven Litt . All rights reserved. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated or posted publicly to a website in a whole or in part.

6. SMART Objectives: WINNING Examples
● ‘Increase aided awareness among Females 25 to 34 who Buy
shampoo 2+ times per quarter’
● ‘Improve Yelp.ca Service review rating of 4.1 stars or better by
July 31, 2021’
● ‘Increase UNIT market share by 5.0 points by Dec 31, 2021’
● ‘Gain >100,000 customers who have not been a Past3Year A&W
guest’
● ‘Gain 70% All Commodity Grocery distribution, as measured by
Nielsen, for at least 2 of the 4 new line sku’s, by October 31 2021’
● ‘Achieve 50,000 full size units purchased of trial of new item X
among Males 25 to 44 with Personal Income >$50,000 Cdn, by
Sept 30, 2021 as measured by Trial Sampler Coupon Redemption’
● ’Generate 70%+ Top Of Mind awareness as measured in Ipsos
Canada New Parent panel’
©2021 Steven Litt . All rights reserved. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated or posted publicly to a website in a whole or in part.

7. SMART Objectives: Fail examples
Specific
Not’ increase awareness’ but ‘increase awareness among Females 25 to 34 who
Buy shampoo 2+ times per quarter’.
Not ‘Improve reputation’ but ‘Improve Yelp.ca Service review rating of 4.1 stars or
better by July 31, 2021’
Not ‘increase market share by 5% by YearEnd 2021’ but ‘ increase UNIT market
share by 5.0 points by Dec 31, 2021’.
Not ‘attract new customers’ but ‘attract 500,000 customer who have not been a
Past 3 Year A&W guest’
Not ‘gain distribution in Grocery by Sept 2021’ but ‘Gain 70% All Commodity
Grocery distribution, as measured by Nielsen, for at least 2 of the 4 new line
sku’s, by October 31 2021’.
Not for ‘generate new visitors’ but ‘Attract >500,000 Visitors by Dec 31, 2021 who
are not Past 3 Year A&W guests’
Not ‘Improve Trial…’ but ‘Generate trial of new item X among Males 25 to 44 with
Personal Income >$50,000 Cdn, by Sept 30, 2021’
Not ’70% top of mind awareness’ but ’70%+ Top Of Mind awareness as measured
in Ipsos Canada New Parent panel’
©2021 Steven Litt . All rights reserved. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated or posted publicly to a website in a whole or in part.

8. SMART Objectives: Fail Examples
Measurable – you are invited to replace these Failed attempt at Objectives
Not ‘improve image’ but ‘????’
Not ‘Become recognized as a leader’ but ‘???’
Not ‘improve loyalty as shown by customer repeat visits and repeat website
visits’ --- which one is it? And how would you measure it?
©2021 Steven Litt . All rights reserved. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated or posted publicly to a website in a whole or in part.

9. SMART Objectives: Fail Examples
Achievable -you are invited to replace these Failed attempt at Objectives
Not ‘Grow fast food market share from 25% to 40%’ – with one new breakfast item?
Really?
gain distribution in all food stores
Not ‘get all new items listed everywhere’ or ‘’ -- c’mon! name one product that is! Not
even Coca Cola!
Not ‘generate 90% awareness among Target Audience X with a week of launch’
- Wait a minute! I bet Google couldn’t get 90% awareness of a new logo in a week.
This objective is unrealistic; that may kill morale &/or drive home the realization
that Executives who write top-down edicts were never ‘in the trenches’ and are
disconnected from the real world.
©2021 Steven Litt . All rights reserved. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated or posted publicly to a website in a whole or in part.

10. SMART Objectives: Fail Examples
Relevant - you are invited to replace these Failed attempt at Objectives
Not ‘Increase Instagram likes to 100,000’; which will do…… exactly what for us,
business-wise?
Not ‘Change the way Brand X is viewed’ but….
How about this improved Objective?
‘Improve Samsung Intent to purchase (Somewhat or Highly Likely ie 4 or 5 on a 5
pt scale’) in Next 6 months to 60% of 18 to 34 yr old Canadian phone owners’
©2021 Steven Litt . All rights reserved. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated or posted publicly to a website in a whole or in part.

11. SMART Objectives: Fail Examples
Time-Specific - you are invited to replace these Failed attempt at Objectives
Not ‘this year’ but ‘By Dec 31, 2020’
Not ‘This season’ but…
Not ‘soon after launch’ but ….
Not ‘Before Winter’ but….
©2021 Steven Litt . All rights reserved. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated or posted publicly to a website in a whole or in part.

12. So…am I done now?
“Just because Objectives are ‘SMART’, doesn’t
necessarily mean that the Objectives are wise” (Litt, 2020)
If the objectives are all SMART, are they ready to be implemented?
Maybe.
But being SMART is not the final hurdle before moving forward.
What is the final frontier?
Space is the final frontier.
See the Deck on ‘Wise Objectives: Giving The Objectives Space’
©2021 Steven Litt . All rights reserved. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated or posted publicly to a website in a whole or in part.

13. SOURCES
• Cover photo courtesy of Mandy S Photography
©2021 Steven Litt . All rights reserved. May not be scanned, copied, duplicated or posted publicly to a website in a whole or in part.