Make Your Q2 Work For You: The Role Your Goals Can Play

Q1 is behind us. It’s time to pat yourself on the back, review your company’s performance progress and refresh or reset your Q2 goals. Sure, a disappointing quarter can be discouraging, but it’s important to reflect on the causes and develop an improved plan to move your company forward. To this end, goal setting and strategic planning, though, typically thought of as an annual process, should be conducted each quarter. High performing companies are intentional about setting ambitious targets, translating them into specific metrics or milestones, communicating them and ultimately reviewing their progress frequently. Try these steps to help you through the process of goal-setting for the second quarter, and to get your team the victory!

Create the Scorecard
The first step is to revisit the goals you set at the end of 2021 and the start of Q1. To get a clearer picture of your progress, try organizing them by category and timeline, and apply general metrics which you will use to assess each goal every quarter onward. The key is to have the same measures, every quarter, for consistency. Categories could include revenue generation, employee retention, operational efficiency, or sales pipeline growth, for example. Within each category, group your goals by annual, quarterly, or monthly benchmarks and be sure to track accordingly.

Get to Know the Game
One by one, go through your goals and evaluate your progress according to the specific milestones you set. For each goal, work on answering the following:
• How do you define progress? Which specific key performance indicators (KPIs) are you tracking?
• Did you exceed the goal, meet it, or fall short? To what degree?
• If the goal is still in progress, are you on track to reach it?
• What strategies have you used to reach your goals in the first quarter of the year? Which tactics have been helpful?
• Have you faced any obstacles so far? If so, what are they and what lessons can be learned to overcome those barriers in Q2?
• If the goal is still in progress, do you think it’s realistic to reach?
• Are there any unique circumstances that have affected or will affect your ability to reach the goal?
If you haven’t reached a specific goal, there’s the chance the goal itself isn’t realistic— especially if you have been trying over and over again to meet it. Get to know how your goals are faring in your market: what are the drivers and what are the road blocks?

Meet the Players
And by players, we really mean your quarterly key performance indicators (KPIs). These are the measures that can truly help your business understand how far it has come or how far it still needs to go. The most important part about KPIs is understanding the space your business has in the market and how it compares to the other players in the game with you. For instance, your business can use the following as KPIs:
• What is your customer lifetime value and customer profitability?
• How many customers do you retain every quarter?
• What is your lead-to-sale conversion rate?
• How many new customers do you acquire every quarter?
• What is your net profit margin?
• What is your current accounts receivable?
• What is your debt-to-equity ratio?
• What is your percentage of projects completed on task?
• How many new leads/prospects are generated monthly?
At the end of the day, your KPIs measure value that shows the progress of the company’s business goals and whether they have been attained. Every company is unique, so the metrics you measure and track depend on your market and objectives.1

Inspire, Motivate and Create
Every quarter, be sure to set aside time to truly dig into your performance as a company, assess the numbers and KPIs and encourage your employees to share ideas on how to make them better. Organizations are truly effective when each person is given the responsibility and authority to make decisions within their area of control. By empowering your management and teams, you can instill a sense of pride and recognize the knowledge and experience in your teams. By offering to help but leaving the responsibility with your people, you can encourage ownership in all our processes.

Keeping Track of the Scores
Often, a business needs to spend money to make money, and that means thinking outside the box on getting new customers, finding new modes of revenue or creating new product lines that will help you expand in your market. Be sure to work with a CFO and trusted financial advisor to set up a system that tracks your cash flow weekly, monthly and quarterly. Have a projected cash flow statement that automatically updates with real-time information if possible. Knowing your cash position will enable you make the most effective spending decisions that will grow your customer base and improve the bottom line.
Moreover, keeping track of your numbers allows you to control your business and mitigate risks that can keep your goals from being met. Having a grasp on your money—both where it comes from and where it’s going—gives you the chance to track your goals and business needs and allocate the proper resources when needed. Your B2B CFO® Partner, for example, can effectively forecast your cash flow and ensure you are not exceeding available cash when spending.

Reward Your Team
Nothing boosts goal-setting like celebrating the wins—so don’t be afraid to show your team appreciation and recognition when deserved. When goals are met, or when numbers are proving progress, reward your teams. Provide company incentives that let your team feel appreciated and like they have a real place at work that lets them feel empowered.

Every Coach Needs a Helping Hand
Often, you as the business owner have a lot on your plate and are focused on the day-to-day operations of your company. Your trusted strategic business advisor is there to help you overcome business challenges and plan for a successful future. B2B CFOs, can help you with each of your strategies and gameplays and ensure you are in the best position to have your goals not only met each quarter, but also exceeded.