{"id":116713,"date":"2026-11-10T15:07:39","date_gmt":"2026-11-10T15:07:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/glossary\/smart-goals\/"},"modified":"2026-11-10T15:07:56","modified_gmt":"2026-11-10T15:07:56","slug":"smart-goals","status":"publish","type":"glossary","link":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/en\/glossary\/smart-goals\/","title":{"rendered":"SMART goals"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SMART goals are goals that meet five conditions: they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.<\/p>\n\n

The name comes from the initials of those five words: Specific<\/em>, Measurable<\/em>, Achievable<\/em>, Relevant<\/em> and Time-bound<\/em>. And, fittingly, smart<\/em> means “intelligent”.<\/p>\n\n

The idea is simple: turn a vague wish into something you can measure and review.<\/strong> “We want to sell more” is a wish. “Increase online sales by 15% before June 30” is a SMART goal.<\/p>\n\n

It is one of the most widely used tools for setting goals in marketing, sales and team management. It fits into any marketing plan<\/a> or communication plan<\/a>, whether for a large company or a small business.<\/p>\n\n

What does SMART stand for in goals?<\/h2>\n\n

Each letter is a question your goal has to pass:<\/p>\n\n

Letter<\/th>Stands for<\/th>Meaning<\/th>The question it answers<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
S<\/td>Specific<\/td>Specific<\/td>What exactly do I want to achieve?<\/td><\/tr>
M<\/td>Measurable<\/td>Measurable<\/td>What number will tell me whether I’ve achieved it?<\/td><\/tr>
A<\/td>Achievable<\/td>Achievable<\/td>Is it possible with my resources and my starting point?<\/td><\/tr>
R<\/td>Relevant<\/td>Relevant<\/td>Does it really help the business?<\/td><\/tr>
T<\/td>Time-bound<\/td>Time-bound<\/td>By when?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

The method was popularized by George T. Doran in a 1981 article in Management Review<\/em>. His original version spoke of assignable goals (with someone responsible) and realistic ones. Over the years the letters have been adapted, but the idea is the same.<\/p>\n\n

A vague goal turned into a SMART one<\/h2>\n\n

The best way to understand it is to see how a common goal changes as it goes through each letter:<\/p>\n\n

Step<\/th>What the goal looks like<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Starting point<\/td>“We want more subscribers”<\/td><\/tr>
Specific<\/td>“We want more subscribers for the store’s newsletter”<\/td><\/tr>
Measurable<\/td>“\u2026go from 1,200 to 2,000 subscribers”<\/td><\/tr>
Achievable<\/td>Last year about 600 joined with less effort: 800 is demanding, but possible<\/td><\/tr>
Relevant<\/td>The store has seen in its sales that subscribers buy more often than new visitors<\/td><\/tr>
Time-bound<\/td>“\u2026before December 31”<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

The result: “Go from 1,200 to 2,000 subscribers to the store’s newsletter before December 31.”<\/strong> Anyone on the team knows what needs to be achieved and by when.<\/p>\n\n

\"Infographic:<\/figure>\n\n
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Measure every campaign against your goal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Statistics for every send and A\/B tests of subject and sender, in Mailrelay’s free account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Create a free account<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

How to set SMART goals step by step<\/h2>\n\n
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  1. Start from a business goal.<\/strong> Sell more, win customers, build loyalty. The SMART goal is how you bring it down to earth within your strategic marketing<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Look at your current data.<\/strong> Without a starting point you won’t know whether the goal is achievable. Check your sales, your email marketing metrics<\/a> or your Google Analytics<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Choose a single main metric.<\/strong> And decide how and how often you will measure it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Set a number and a date.<\/strong> Ambitious, but something the team believes in.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Assign an owner and the actions.<\/strong> A goal without an owner usually ends up in a drawer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Review it every month.<\/strong> SMART goals are not a snapshot: if you are falling short, adjust the actions; if the context changes, adjust the goal.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

    Before setting them, it helps to do a SWOT analysis<\/a>: it tells you where you have room to grow and what is holding you back.<\/p>\n\n

    SMART goal examples<\/h2>\n\n

    These examples work as a template. Swap the numbers for your business’s:<\/p>\n\n