A PR strategy without goals, is like a chocolate chip cookie without the chocolate chips. The purpose is completely lost and nobody has a fun time. Setting PR goals for your organization is vital to the success of your campaign. Goals can help you define your company’s purpose and even help you reach your growth and financial objectives.
A common misconception is that PR goals aren’t measurable because the outcomes we are working towards aren’t easily quantifiable. An example of a difficult to measure goal could be the public’s opinion of your organization. The truth is, there is measurable data for each of your objectives, you just have to think outside the box. Some data you could use to measure public opinion is customer reviews.
A helpful guide to keep in mind when drafting your PR goals should be the SMART strategy. SMART stands for, Specific, Measurable, Achievable and Time-bound.
S:
When thinking up your organization’s goals for the year, it is important to be as specific as possible. Be sure to clearly explain how you plan to complete your goal, this will make it easier to achieve and give a better idea of how long it might take to achieve. The more specific your goal, the more likely you are to achieve it.
M:
Making a goal measurable is the only way to determine whether your goal was reached. Even if you didn’t reach your goal by the end of the quarter, you will have a clear picture of the progress you made. This allows you to adapt your strategy for the coming quarter. In general, making your goal measurable means you will have to establish a number you would like to reach or find some other quantifiable data to track.
A:
When writing your goals it can be easy to lose sight of reality and overshoot what is actually possible. While you should be sure to keep your goals challenging, you still need to make sure they are actually achievable with the time and resources you have at your disposal. Don’t set yourself up for failure by setting a goal that is impossible to achieve.
R:
Keeping your goals relevant to your organization’s mission and values is probably the most important thing to remember. Wasting efforts on something that will not help further your company’s success is the last thing you want to be doing. Let those values and mission guide your choices and goals.
T:
Last but definitely not least, is keeping your goals on a time restraint. This will help you build a timeline for yourself and give a clear completion date for your goal. The time you give yourself should be relative to the complexity and difficulty of each goal. Deadlines are a great way to stay organized and motivated. You should take your goals seriously and do your best to reach them, but remember not to beat yourself about it if you didn’t hit the mark.
Creating SMART goals can help you reach new heights with your PR efforts. If you don’t already, set aside time yearly or quarterly to create new goals for your PR team or revise your current ones. As always, our team at Sammis|Ochoa is always here to answer any questions and set you on the right path. Schedule a free consultation today at www.sammisochoa.com/contact/ to talk through any PR-related concerns you may have.
By: Jocelyn Sandoval
Sammis|Ochoa is San Antonio’s fastest-growing public relations and digital marketing agency. It is the 2020 recipient of the TinyAward for Happiest Employees in Public Relations. It also ranks as one of San Antonio’s best PR firms by Design Rush. The firm is headquartered in San Antonio and serves clients in Austin, Houston and San Antonio. Email mario@sammisochoa.com or call 210.390.4284 to amp up your PR game!
