What are goals considered in terms of business development?

Goals in the context of business development are best understood as benchmarks. Benchmarks serve as specific points of reference or standards by which progress can be measured. They help businesses evaluate their performance, set targets, and gauge success over time. By establishing goals as benchmarks, businesses can track how well they are meeting their objectives and making strides towards growth and improvement.

While aspirations, plans, and frameworks play significant roles in business development, they do not encapsulate the measurable nature of goals as effectively as benchmarks do. Aspirations refer more to the hopes or desires for success rather than the measurable targets businesses aim to achieve. Plans outline the strategies for reaching those goals but do not define the goals themselves. Frameworks provide structural support for achieving goals but still fall short of encapsulating the specific, quantifiable nature that benchmarks possess.