Four step strategic planning model
In her presentation, Wilma Matthews, the Co-Author of On Deadline: Managing Media Relations, described a four step strategic planning model:
- Set a goal: the business outcome. What you want your communications to achieve.
- Establish strategies: The broad approaches you are going to take in order to achieve the goal.
- Define objectives for each strategy. Objectives are the measurable tasks that will be undertaken in order to realize the strategies.
- Develop tactics - the tools that will be used in order to achieve the objectives.
Wilma used the example of World War II in order to illustrate the application of these concepts.
- Goal: Win the war.
- Strategy: Surround Germany to choke off the resources that fueled its military force.
- Objective: Invade France. This is measurable. You?ll know if you?ve succeeded and to what degree.
- Tactics: What will you use to do this? e.g. ships, planes, soldiers, etc.
In summary:
- Goals = the broad outcomes
- Strategies = the approaches you will take
- Objectives = the measurable steps to achieve the strategies
- Tactics = the tools you will use