Define Your Goal
Focus on Strategy
Execute the Tactics
This really applies to any project or activity that you want to do. This is not just for web projects. If you think about these easy and clear steps to take, you can help give yourself the best change at being more successful with whatever it is you want to do!
Please let us know what you think by commenting, or sharing.
Goal:
- What do you ultimately want to accomplish? What do you want to get out of this exercise/project?
- What should you and/or your target get out of this project?
Strategy:
- What do you need to do in order to achieve your goal(s).
- Who is your target?
- What tools resources do you HAVE in order to accomplish your goal(s)?
- What tools and resources do you NEED in order to accomplish your goal(s)?
Tactics
- What tools will I be using for this project/exercise? If I need new tools, how do I obtain them? DO NOT fit the tactic to the tools that you have at-hand. Your tools should allow you to execute your tactics, not restrict them.
- Who will be performing what tasks? Please, please, please use the right people for the right task.
- When is all of this happening?
- How will I measure my success? (this might even be a whole separate section outside of tactics – but it’s really situational depending on your goals)
Example Situation:
Goal:
You want to grow your Twitter following and want more people to re-tweet what you post.
Strategy:
- You don’t currently have a blog section of your website. Only tweet twice a week. You only follow local sports icons on Twitter.
- You need to add a blog section to your website. You will use this new section of your website to create new content that can be shared on Twitter as well as on other social networks and websites.
- You need to look for people on Twitter that would be interested in your content and what you have to say and follow those people.
- You need be more active on Twitter.
Tactics:
- Add a blog section to your website.
- Start to write some content that is relevant to you or your company/brand. This content should be planned and developed with your ultimate goal(s) in mind – not just content for the sake of content.
- Use tools (like Followerwonk) to find people on Twitter that you want to follow, and that you want to follow you back. Oh, and follow them.
- Start re-tweeting some of the interesting and relevant things that these people are posting. Or better yet, reply back to them with comments or questions. Engagement is Good!
- Start posting some of your content to Twitter. Don’t just post the link! Write a very short sentence that describes the content, then paste the link after that. You may even choose to use a #hashtag that matches the topic/subject of the post.
- Twitter now allows you to see how your tweets are performing. Check out your analytics on Twitter.