The goal is to write one. Can you?

How are you at writing the components of a public relations plan? For example, can you write a goal? I am going to describe the functions of a goal. Then I will provide rules for writing one. Finally, I will give you a chance to test yourself on identifying acceptable goals written by my rules. A goal is important because it serves four functions in a public relations plan. One function is to provide a vision of a desired position or condition. A plan should have one ultimate aim. All of a plan’s objectives should be directed toward achieving the plan’s goal. The goal can be specific to the public relations task, for example, for XYZ to be trusted by the community for its safe use of chemicals. Or it can relate to broader organizational aims that require input from other functions, such as human resources, marketing and finance, for example, for XYZ to be merged with ZYX with the understanding and support of all stakeholders. The second function of a goal is to provide a target on which to organize resources. A goal gives followers of a plan a point of reference on which to center their efforts. It enables them to set their sights on what is to be the overall result of the combined efforts of all contributors to the plan. Many plan writers believe a goal should use the present infinitive “to be” to distinguish this targeting function. What follows “to be” should be stated as though the position or condition has been achieved, for example, the goal for XYZ is “to be” a recognized leader in its field. The goal clearly rallies an organization’s resources around making it a recognized leader in its field. The third function of a goal is to provide verification that the plan is focused. By stating the goal, plan developers can demonstrate to plan reviewers that the plan focuses on the correct priority. For example, if the client’s goal is for XYZ to be viewed as an essential, unique and authoritative resource for diversity education on the university campus and in the greater community, the goal would not be focused correctly if it were stated, for XYZ to be a well-funded campus organization. In other words, when a client’s goal calls for everyone to be eating BigMacs, plan developers had better not be writing about Chicken McNuggets. That may sound exaggerated, but sometimes client or employer instructions are not followed explicitly or are overlooked. The experience of being presented the wrong goal is exasperating to clients or employers because they are putting up major resources to accomplish a specific job that is important to them. A fourth function of a goal is to provide a measurement of success. When a desired condition or position is evident as stated in the goal, a plan’s objectives have been met. In other words, the fact that a certain condition or position now exists is evidence that the plan’s objectives have been achieved successfully. Let’s say, for example, the goal is for a hospital to be serving more children. When the hospital is, in fact, serving 50 more children, that is proof or evidence the plan’s objective (i.e. to raise $20 million for hospital expansion) has been successfully achieved. So the goal of a public relations plan has four functions–it provides a vision, a target, verification and measurement. Here are my five rules for writing a goal: 1. Focus the goal on a single aim. 2. State the goal in a single sentence and avoid the temptation of telling what must be done to achieve it. Unacceptable: To communicate XYZ’s economic value as a member of the community. Acceptable: For XYZ to be recognized as an important contributor to the local economy. 3. Describe the goal as the ultimate condition or state of being desired as though it has already been achieved. Acceptable: For XYZ to be a trusted member of the community with its use of hazardous chemicals. Unacceptable: For XYZ to become a trusted member of the community with its use of hazardous chemicals. Reason: “to become a trusted member” leaves XYZ in its present state, rather than in the desired state of being. 4. Distinguish the statement as a goal by using the infinitive phrase “to be” answering the question, What do you want the ultimate condition to be as a result of having executed the public relations plan successfully? Acceptable: For XYZ to be operating as a recognized leader in its field. 5. Avoid using an objective for a goal. Unacceptable: For XYZ to raise $15 million to expand the hospital. Reason: This is an objective describing what must be done to accomplish the ultimate goal, for example, to be serving 50 more patients in a new addition to the hospital. The goal should be evidence that a plan’s objectives have been successfully completed. Now that we have defined a goal and reviewed my rules for writing one, let’s see if you can distinguish from the following six examples, goals that are acceptable and those that are unacceptable according to the rules for writing goals. 1. To provide eligible families with a smooth transition from Island Health Offspring to Children’s Health Insurance Program. 2. For XCX to be expanding its operation with the support of local and state governments. 3. For wind surfers throughout the world to be aware of Hood River on the Columbia River as one of the most popular locations for the sport. 4. The goal of the Clean Teeth campaign is to heighten awareness about the importance of tooth brushing. 5. To have the public adopt natural garden care by changing certain gardening behaviors. 6. For XYZ, Inc. to be closing one assembly plant. ANSWERS 1. Unacceptable. It does not center on the infinitive phrase “to be” followed by an ultimate vision, state of being or desired condition. “To provide” indicates that the ultimate state of being has not yet been achieved. Acceptable: For eligible families to be receiving increased benefits from the Children’s Health Insurance Program, having made a smooth transition from Island Health Offspring. 2. Acceptable. 3. Acceptable. 4. Unacceptable. It does not center on the infinitive phrase “to be,” which the rules reserve for introducing a goal¬–a desired condition or state of being. Acceptable: For people around the world to be more aware of the importance of brushing teeth. 5. Unacceptable. It does not center on the infinitive phrase “to be,” which the rules reserve for introducing a goal. The phrase “to have the public adopt natural garden care” tells what must be done, which is the role of an objective. The phrase “by changing certain gardening behaviors” tells how something is to be accomplished, which is the role of a strategy. Acceptable: For male homeowners, ages 25 to 54 in the Garden Gateway area, to be using natural gardening practices. 6. Unacceptable. Closing one assembly plant is not the ultimate vision, goal or state of being. It is what must be done to achieve the goal or vision which, according to the rules, is the role of an objective. Acceptable: For XYZ, Inc. to be operating more competitively having closed one assembly plant. I am blogging to show how important it is to stay within specific parameters when writing goals, as well as objectives, strategies and the other components of a public relations plan. I know from 30 years of experience that writing by the rules creates winning proposals. * * * * *