4 Goals and Objectives

  • Definition

A goal is a short, simple statement rooted in the organization’s mission or vision. Using everyday language, a goal acknowledges the issue and sketches out how the organization hopes to see it settled. A goal is stated in general terms and lacks measures; these will come later, as objectives.

An objective is a statement of specific outcomes expected for a public, indicating a way to more precisely conceptualize the goal.

  • The difference between goals and objectives
    • Goals: general and global, Goals provide the direction while objectives pinpoint the destination. — —
    • Objectives: specific, a statement emerging from the goals. Clear, measurable,  “a milestone measuring program toward a goal”
  • Goals: Positioning is the process of managing how an organization distinguishes itself with a unique meaning in the mind of its publics. Three types of goals:
    1. Reputation management goals: deals with the identify and perception of the organization. e.g.Improve the company’s reputation within the industry. Improve UAEU’s ranking in the world.
    2. Relationship management goals: focus on how the organization connects with its publics. e.g. Enhance the relationship between the company and its customers. Enhance the relationship between doctors and patients.
    3. Task management goals: are concerned with getting certain things done. e.g. attract a sell-out crowd to a fund-raising concert.
  • Objectives: a statement consistent with an organization’s positioning and emerging from
  • the organization’s goals. An objective is a clear and measurable statement, written to point the way toward particular levels of awareness, acceptance, or action. Communication managers responding to broader organizational goals often establish objectives. Like goals, objectives deal with intended outcomes rather than procedures for reaching them.
  • Elements of objectives:
    • Rooted in goals.
    • Public-focused.
    • Linked to research.
    • Clearly defined.
    • Measurable.
    • Time definite.
    • Singular.
    • Challenging.
    • Attainable.
    • Acceptable 
  • Hierarchy of  Objectives: An ordered hierarchy exists among communication objectives, growing through 3 stages:
    1. Awareness: objectives deals with information and knowledge.
      • Attention
      • Comprehension
      • Retention
      • e.g.To raise awareness of UAEU students in their understanding of Covid-19 vaccine.
    2. Acceptance: objectives focus on how people react to information.
      • Interest
      • Attitude
      • e.g. To increase UAEU students’ interest/positive attitudes towards getting Covid-19 vaccine.
    3. Action: objectives address a hoped-for response to information and feelings.
      • Opinion
      • Behavior
      • e.g. To achieve 70% Covid-19 vaccination rate among UAEU students by May 2021.
      • e.g. To get 100 UAEU students vaccinated for Covid-19 through the campaign by May 2021.
  • How to write public relations objectives
    • Basic rule: Keep your language simple and brief; Use everyday language and strong action verbs
    • The guideline:
      • Public: indicate the public to whom the objective is addressed
      • Category: indicate simply the category— awareness, acceptance, action
      • Direction: indicate the direction e.g. to create, to generate, to increase or maximize
      • Specific effect
      • Focus
      • Performance metric
      • Time Period