Positioning & Three Types of Goals - Why Should I Care?

Positioning

The step of setting goals and objectives helps professionals realize what exactly they wish to achieve. When organizations try to figure out what kinds of interactions they want and/or plan to have with their publics, it is important that they first focus on positioning.

Positioning is known as "the process and result of managing how an organization distinguishes itself with a unique meaning in the mind of its publics." In short, this is how the organization wants to be set apart from its competitors and known by its publics. Here, one key piece comes into play: a positioning statement. A positioning statement

basically spells out the basis for which an organization wants to be seen and known. This asks what organizations want their publics to think about them and what position they seek to have among publics. You can think of this sorta like a vision for the company.

Finally Getting to Goals

Now that we have discussed positioning statements and their purpose of spelling out how an organization wants to be seen, we can now begin to go along the path of explaining what exactly it is we want. This is where goals come in to play. They are "short, simple statement rooted in the organization's mission or vision acknowledging the issue and sketches out how the organization hopes to see it settled." Goals are more concrete examples than positioning when it comes to what should be accomplished, but they do not start along the path of action just yet. Rather, they are still more abstract than others, being that "objectives are the specific steps you take to realize your goal."

Three Types of Goals

There are three types of goals that are used differently and appropriately matched to each campaign; Reputation management goals, relationship management goals, and task management goals. Reputation management deals with the identity and perception of an organization, while relationship management looks at how an organization connects with its key publics. Lastly, task management deals with getting things accomplished. Although the three are not usually used together, they lay out the various aims of PR and other strategic communications by outlining each way an organization can affect its publics and vice versa. Though they may sound similar, for example, while reputation management practices influencing publics perceptions, relationship management focuses on how organizations connect and communicate with publics and through which channels. Per each campaign, there will be a goal that is appropriate for an organization and what is wishes to accomplish.