Dr Stephen R. Covey, author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”.  Photographed by Eleanor Bengal on 13th October, 2004.

Described by TIME magazine as one of the 25 most influential business management books of all time, Dr. Stephen R. Covey’s ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ is a masterwork, chronicling seven steps for personal success in business. (Gandel, 2011)

In the second habit, ‘Begin with the End in Mind’, Covey details the importance of creating and focusing on a goal, as an essential element to achievement. (Covey, 1989)

In this vain the ‘Public Relations Plan’ also begins with a goal, or in Covey’s terms, ‘the end in mind.’

The Goal, once established clearly states as a broad statement, what is to be achieved by the PR campaign.  This statement is followed by several itemised steps to realising this goal, including objectives, strategies and tactics.  (Bobbitt & Sullivan, 2005)

(Wirthlin, 2015)

OBJECTIVES:  The objectives outline ‘what we are going to do’ and are mapped by breaking the goal statement into several concepts or ideas.

An objective will have a theme or message that is to be received by the campaign public.

STRATEGIES:  Strategies identify, ‘how we are going to do it’ by linking to the objective as a way of goal attainment and there may be several strategies to achieve the objective.

Within the strategy will be a number of Key Messages that represent audience ‘take aways’, and will always refer back to the objective theme.

TACTICS:  Tactics are itemising ‘what we are going to do’ as a comprehensive action list.  This tactic is a measurable indicator of progress toward the final campaign goal.(Bobbitt & Sullivan, 2005).

The Public Relations Campaign must always ‘begin with the end in mind’ followed with a well considered campaign plan, as the first step to a successful outcome.

Reference List

Bentall, E. (2012). Stephen Covey. The Telegraph UK. The Telegraph, London.

Bobbitt, R., & Sullivan, R. (2005). Developing the Pulic Relations Campaign. New York, USA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (First ed.). New York, USA: Free Press.

Gandel, S. (2011, August 9). The 25 Most Influentila Business Management Books. Retrieved April 2016, from Time.com: http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2086680_2086683_2087685,00.html?iid=sr-link2

Wirthlin, A. (2015, September). Public Relations Plans – Componenets of Successful RP Plans. Retrieved April 2016, from AWIRTHLIN PUBLIC RELATIONS: http://awirthlinpublicrelations.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Components-of-Successful-PR-Plans.jpg