How Not to Write Marketing Objectives (And What to Do Instead)
Let’s face it – most marketing objectives fall flat. They’re either too vague, don’t tie back to the business’s goals, or are just a list of random tasks pretending to be strategy. If your objectives don’t help grow the business, what’s the point?
Here’s how not to write marketing objectives – and, more importantly, what you should do instead.
Mistake 1: Being Vague
Vague objectives might sound fancy in meetings, but they don’t help your team or your business.
Example of a bad objective:
"Increase website traffic."
What kind of traffic? From who? By how much? And why does it matter? Without specifics, this objective leads nowhere.
How to fix it:
Focus on the result you want and make it measurable.
"Increase qualified enquiries from mid-size manufacturing companies by 20% in the next six months."
This moves the needle. It’s clear what success looks like, and it ties directly to business growth. The specifics also make it easier to figure out how to achieve it – maybe through paid campaigns, SEO, or partnerships. All of this gets detailed in the marketing plan.
Mistake 2: Ignoring Business Objectives
Marketing objectives that don’t align with business goals are a complete waste of time. If the business wants to grow turnover to £10M by the end of the year, your marketing objectives must contribute to that.
Example of a bad objective:
"Get more social media followers."
Sure, followers might look good on paper, but if they don’t help the business grow, what’s the point?
How to fix it:
Start with the business goal and think about what marketing can do to achieve it.
"Generate 100 qualified enquiries from enterprise clients, worth £2M in potential revenue, by the end of Q3."
This is the kind of objective that matters. And yes, we might decide that to generate those enquiries, we need to grow our social media presence in the enterprise space. But now, growing followers becomes a tactic with a clear purpose, not a standalone goal. All these specifics – which platforms, what kind of content – belong in the marketing plan.
Mistake 3: Focusing on Activities, Not Outcomes
It’s tempting to list what you’re going to do instead of what you’re going to achieve. But tasks aren’t objectives.
Example of a bad objective:
"Send three email campaigns per month."
This just describes activity. It doesn’t say why you’re doing it or what success looks like.
How to fix it:
Shift the focus to outcomes.
"Increase client engagement by 15% through targeted email campaigns over the next three months."
Now we know what success looks like, and the activity – sending those emails – becomes the means to an end. This approach keeps the objective tied to results while leaving room for flexibility in execution.
Mistake 4: Treating All Clients the Same
Not all clients contribute equally to your growth. A generic objective that treats every client as equal will dilute your efforts.
Example of a bad objective:
"Grow revenue by targeting all clients equally."
This wastes time and resources on low-value clients, while high-value opportunities are overlooked.
How to fix it:
Break down the growth goal by client type or segment, then focus where it matters most.
"Generate £2M in additional revenue by increasing enquiries from enterprise clients in the tech sector by 20%."
This objective focuses on a high-priority segment that will make the biggest impact. Once you’ve defined this, your marketing plan can include tactics like account-based marketing or events to engage this audience.
Mistake 5: Trying to Do Everything
When you try to achieve too many things at once, you end up achieving none of them.
Example of a bad objective:
"Increase leads, improve retention, grow brand awareness, and launch a new product by the end of the year."
This isn’t an objective; it’s a wish list.
How to fix it:
Pick one or two priorities that align with the business goals and focus your efforts there.
"Improve client retention by 10% within the next six months through a targeted loyalty programme."
This is focused and achievable, and by keeping it simple, you give the team clarity. If retention is a priority, the marketing plan might include a customer survey, improved onboarding, or a loyalty email series.
Thoughts to take away…..
Good marketing objectives are never vague or disconnected from the business’s goals. Start with the growth target, break it down by client type or segment, and focus on outcomes, not activities.
And remember, an objective isn’t a plan. If you’ve decided you need more followers in a specific segment to hit your enquiry targets, that’s fine – but it’s a tactic, not the end goal. The real work happens in the marketing plan, where you connect all the dots and decide how to deliver results.
Get the objectives right, and you’re not just writing goals – you’re creating a roadmap for business growth.