One of the common misconceptions about public affairs work is that significant changes in attitude toward the Church can be enacted by performing a few short-term community service activities or by placing a handful of favorable news stories. Unfortunately, there are no such quick solutions. Changing the attitudes and beliefs of key opinion leaders requires long-term thinking, focus on the most important priorities, and ensuring that all of the activities of the public affairs council complement one another in a sustained, consistent effort.

Under the leadership of the priesthood adviser, the director of public affairs works with the public affairs council to develop and implement an annual plan that meets these criteria. By carefully planning public affairs initiatives and activities, public affairs councils will be able to create the kind of experiences that lead to positive, long-term relationships with key opinion leaders.

The planning process should not be complicated, but it does require time, the best thinking of the council, and inspiration. All members of the council should contribute to the process of developing the plan. The following principles and suggestions may prove helpful in developing or refining your council’s annual plan:

• Function under priesthood direction. Be sure to counsel with the priesthood leader before beginning, and invite his participation in all phases of the process.
• Ensure that the annual plan focuses on key opinion leaders.
• An outline for an annual plan might look something like this:

1. Local Issue to Be Addressed
1. Situation Analysis (a review of the current situation relative to the objective or issue)
2. Proposed Plan (how the council will generally approach the task of reaching the objective)
3. Key Opinion Leaders (who can affect the outcome of efforts to reach the objective or address the issue)

• Road maps (for reaching and forming relationships with opinion leaders—one road map per opinion leader)
• Calendar of activities and assignments (by name) for each step of the road map (see sample road maps)

4. Budget (if any)
5. Evaluation Plan (specific ways that success will be measured)

• Review the plan frequently in council meetings and use it to guide the planning and decision-making processes of the council.