Objectives are vital with in PR strategic planning to ensure resources can be used effectively and specific outcomes achieved. Objectives usually focus on a problem or opportunity, this is stated in the research section, setting objectives are not easy simply becasue many problems can arrise. This objective section will talk about smart and poor objectives set by PR plans. The following is a lost of objectives that should be in a smart objective; specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, relevant, targeted and timed. There is a difference between goals, and objectices, goals seem to be general outcomes, where objectives are more specific, immediate results.
For this element of the PR plan, I chose to look at Media Relation Cases which starts on page 64 in the PR book. On pg. 65 and the top of 66, are the objectives. There is an excess amount of wording in some of the objectives, they should be specific with power words. Bullet points are easier to read and easier to follow but they were used when explaining non objective information. The last bullet point on pg. 65 talkes about why energy-saving goals were not made, and then went back to describing an objective, confusing to follow. As I continued reading the objectives, I noticed that none of them were measurable, meaning they did not include a specific percentage of increase/decrease, no numbers as in talking about increase participation by a certain amount. On the positive side, this plan did a good job of dividing up their objectives into specific catagories so its audience could know exactly what the objectives were targeting. Overall this was not a smart objective case study.
A positive case study is found on pg. 75. Right away I see a subtitle, "Marketing Objectives" this is telling the audience that the objectives that follow will be about marketing. They are specific and you can tell this with out even reading them, they have minimal writing, as you read you will notice the use of power words such as; generate, awareness, increase, rally, etc. These objectives are including their problem/opportunity which touches on the relevant aspect. next up are the objectives for Actions and Events, again this tells me what to expect in the objectives to follow. The last bullet point on pg.76 gives specific information but not all in one objective, below are three objectives that tie into the main one. The sub objectives describe the outlets, media materials etc.
In the end there are good and bad objectives but if your objectives include the 7 smart elements, your plan will be that much better and presentable to the PR team.
