MKTG90003 Chap.5 Goals and SMARTT Objectives
Goals and SMARTT Objectives
Goals provide broad direction rooted in mission, while objectives specify the measurable change a PR plan intends to achieve. SMARTT tests whether an objective is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, targeted and timed. This chapter focuses on repairing vague objectives, keeping tactics out of result statements, setting evidence-based targets and aligning every indicator with the diagnosed communication problem.
What this chapter covers
- 01
Mission and positioning
- 02
Broad goals
- 03
Measurable objectives
- 04
Specific and targeted wording
- 05
Achievable and realistic targets
- 06
Timeframes
- 07
Baseline evidence
- 08
Indicator alignment
Worked example · free
Rewrite a channel-led objective
- 1Replace general awareness with correct eligibility understanding and reduced abandonment.
- 1Define the public as renters in the relevant service area who begin the process.
- 1Add a campaign deadline and comparison period.
- 1Specify a knowledge measure and application-stage data, with targets set after baseline research.
- 1Remove social media from the objective and justify it later as a possible channel.
Key terms
- Goal
- A goal is a broad and non-measurable direction rooted in organisational mission.
- Objective
- An objective is a concrete specification of the change a plan intends to achieve.
- SMARTT
- SMARTT means specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, targeted and timed.
- Baseline
- A baseline is the pre-campaign value used to judge subsequent movement.
- Indicator
- An indicator is the observable measure selected to test progress toward an objective.
Goals and SMARTT Objectives FAQ
What is the difference between a goal and an objective?
A goal provides broad direction and usually connects to mission or organisational purpose. An objective states the concrete, measurable change the PR plan intends to achieve among a defined public within a timeframe. Tactics are the activities used later to pursue that objective.
Does every objective need a percentage?
No. A numeric target requires a defensible baseline or other evidence. When the case supplies none, state the relevant indicator and explain that baseline research is needed before setting the standard. An invented percentage creates false precision and weakens the plan.
Why should channels stay out of objectives?
An objective defines the desired result, while a channel is a strategic or tactical choice. Keeping them separate lets the team change execution if one channel underperforms without changing the intended outcome. It also forces channel choice to be justified by audience evidence.
What makes an objective precise without making it arbitrary?
Precision comes from evidence and measurement design, not from adding an unsupported percentage. Begin with the diagnosed change: awareness, correct understanding, attitude, confidence, relationship quality or behaviour among a defined public. State the indicator in terms that another evaluator could collect, name the comparison or baseline, and specify the deadline.
Check every SMARTT element—specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, targeted and timed—but use the framework to design the objective rather than decorate it afterward. If the case provides no defensible baseline or target, say that formative research must establish them before the numerical standard is finalised. False precision is weaker than a transparent measurement plan. Keep the objective distinct from the tactic.
“Use social media” names an activity; “increase correct identification of eligibility requirements among new renters” names a result and leaves room to compare channels. Then test alignment by following the key noun through the chain. If research identifies confidence, the objective and indicator should concern confidence unless the answer explains why the construct changes.
Separate communication contribution from broad organisational goals such as revenue or licence renewal. A campaign may support those outcomes through a plausible intermediate change without being their sole cause. Finally, pre-write an interpretation rule: strong exposure with weak understanding suggests a message problem, while strong understanding with weak action suggests capability, relevance or structural barriers.
This turns an objective into a management tool rather than a ceremonial sentence.
Exam move
Collect vague objective verbs such as raise, engage, inspire, amplify and educate. For each, ask what observable change would make the verb meaningful. Rewrite the line with a defined public, change, measure and deadline. Mark each SMARTT element, but do not treat the letters as a checklist after writing; use them to design the sentence. Test realism against the situation analysis and available resources.
Then follow the key noun across the chain. If research concerns confidence, the objective and indicator should also concern confidence unless the answer explains the change. Practise identifying exact but irrelevant metrics. This prepares you to distinguish outputs from outcomes in the next chapter.
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