Did you know that Rocks could determine what you do at work in the next quarter, year, or decade? That’s right!

When you use the Entrepreneurial Operating System® (EOS), Rocks are the most important things you need to accomplish within a certain timeframe. Rocks are extremely valuable to your organization, but they can be a bit of a struggle to identify and attain.

So let’s look at how EOS® Rocks fit into your small business marketing plan. We’ll explain how to use them in your short-term planning to hit quarterly goals, plus how to scale up and reach the big Rocks in your 10-year plan.

What are Your Rocks? Here’s How to Find Them.

First, you should know that it’s normal to find it challenging to identify your company’s Rocks. The official EOS Rocks page offers this bit of wisdom: “Everyone who runs a company on EOS® struggles with how to set Rocks at the start of their journey.”

To narrow your focus, think about the three to seven most critical tasks that must be accomplished within this quarter so your company can take big strides forward.

Every Rock should be SMART, which is an acronym for:

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely

We’ll explain more below, but in practice, this means a Rock shouldn’t be, “Become the world’s most successful company.” Although that might be a specific and measurable Rock, it’s very unlikely to be attainable or realistic within one quarter.

Choose Rocks that are motivational because they’re attainable!

As the name implies, a Rock is something bulky and massive, but it’s not impossible to move. With willpower and teamwork, you can consistently move heavy Rocks.

Identifying Your Quarterly and Yearly Rocks

Now let’s set some goals using the EOS business model. To identify the Rocks you should focus on this quarter, go step-by-step through the SMART filtering process and look at each attribute.

S: Specific

This should be something specific you can accomplish by the end of the quarter. Take a big and vague goal, like “increase revenue” and make it more specific, like “use a chatbot to increase revenue at least 1% by the end of the quarter.” An increase of 1% might sound small, but what if you accomplished it every quarter just by implementing a chatbot?

M: Measurable

Now consider how you’ll measure success. How will you know whether you’ve reached the Rock? This is where marketing metrics come into play. Set benchmarks with your metrics and measure your success against them.

A: Attainable

Remember, this is a goal that must be reachable in a short period. It’s probably not reasonable to close 200% more deals by the end of the quarter. Instead, identify a smaller Rock to reach by the end of the quarter. (Then set a bigger Rock for the end of the year.)

R: Realistic

It’s good to be confident, but don’t overestimate the workload capacity you and your team have available. Adjust your ambitions to fit within the limits of your company’s resources.

T: Timely

Too often, companies fail to achieve their Rocks simply due to timing. Rocks don’t move without deadlines! Set a firm deadline and hold everyone accountable for hitting it.

How to Scale Up and Succeed Using Rocks

Now that you’ve created quarterly Rocks, expand the same concept to your company’s annual strategic plan. Then continue to scale up, thoughtfully setting Rocks to accomplish within the full scope of your company’s 10-year vision.

Tips for choosing the right Rock at the right time:

To keep things manageable, never exceed three to seven Rocks per period, like per quarter or year.
Don’t play the guessing game with your metrics. Work with an EOS® Agency to make sure your numbers are accurate.
Remember, 99% of Rock failure occurs because the Rock was not truly SMART. Follow the SMART EOS process to select and accomplish every Rock.
As you accomplish Rocks, take time to celebrate your company’s achievements and acknowledge your Rock climbers - the hardworking members of your team.

Congratulations! Now you’re working together to collect Rocks and move mountains!

We Can Help You Hit Your Target

Reaching Rocks is the key to refining your small business management style. Day after day, this is how successful companies are effectively implementing the EOS business strategy.

What do you think? Is your company ready to Rock on?

If you’re not sure whether you’ll be able to use Rocks to hit your 10-year target, reach out to 11outof11. We’ll offer you a complimentary call with a small business marketing expert. We’re an EOS® Agency! Contact us to learn more.