smpsva--public relations planning
DESCRIPTION
A presentation to the Society for Marketing Professional Services Virginia 'Ready, Set, Plan!' workshop, Sept. 30, 2010. Offers a how-to guide for in-house marketing professionals seeking to design an annual public relations plan.TRANSCRIPT
Public Relations Planning
A presentation to the
Society for Marketing Professional Services Virginia
September 30, 2010
What is public relations?
“Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other.”
What is public relations?
• Cause-Related Marketing• Community Relations• Consumer Marketing • Crisis Communications• Employee Relations• Event Marketing• Financial Relations• Government Relations• Industry/Trade Relations
• Issues Management • Market Intelligence• Measurement• Multicultural Relations• Media Relations• New/Interactive Media• Organizational
Communications • Public Affairs• Research
Why PR?
Because it’s FREE, right?
Why PR?
WRONG!
Why PR?
Time = Money*
*PR is time-intensive
Why PR?
Public relations builds relationships and creates an ongoing dialogue of interaction and involvement with an organization’s target audiences and those who influence those audiences.
• Builds credibility• Builds and protects
reputations• Enhances
knowledge/understanding• Supports a business strategy• Helps create or reinforce a
market niche
• Tracks and manages special issues• Extends reach, frequency and
message of advertising• Helps create a supportive
environment • Informs public opinion
©2008 PR QuickStart.org
Planning: Step One
Taking into consideration other demands on your time, determine how much time per month you can reasonably expect to dedicate to public relations activities.
Goals and Objectives
What do you want to accomplish?
More Exposure!
Goals and Objectives
PR Goals:
Broad statements closely aligned with business goals
PR Objectives:
Specific and measurable outcomes
Goals and Objectives
• Engage
• Recruit
• Protect
Think verbs:
• Inform• Persuade• Counteract• Attract
What else?
Goals and Objectives
What does “measurable” mean?
Any outcome that can be
quantified with a metric.
• 25% more clients now know that the firm provides sustainable
design consulting.• The firm gained 175 new “likes” on its Facebook page.• Six state legislators will now vote in favor of the bill.
Planning: Step Two
Determine your PR goals and objectives.
Audience
Who do you wish to influence?
• Clients• Potential clients• Investors
• Thought leaders• Policy leaders• Media
Audience
That’s fine, but let’s drill deeper.
Potential clients
•Art and entertainment
•Commercial
•Government
•Health care
Planning: Step Three
Determine your target audiences and segment them as much as possible.
Message
What do you want to communicate?
• Promise a benefit
• Satisfy a need
• Offer a distinctive service
“This is the business that does ____ for you.”
Message
Your PR message should be consistent throughout all your communications.
• Website• Advertising• Social media• Collateral
• Client relations • Front desk• Field staff• Proposals
Message
And it must be TRUE.
Planning: Step Four
Determine your organization’s key messages and ensure that they appear in every communication to every target audience.
Channels of Communication
What is the best way to communicate with your target audiences?
Remember, each segment may receive information differently.
Channels of Communication
Think outside the box.
The front page of The New York Times is great—but only if your target audience is reading it.
Channels of Communication
• What trade publications do they read?• How about community newspapers?• Are they on Facebook?• Do they participate in LinkedIn Groups?• How likely are they to listen to others (WOM)?• Who are the influential bloggers in the industry?• What associations do they belong to?• What conferences / trade shows do they attend?
Planning: Step Five
Identify the channels of communication for each of your target audiences that are most likely to be successful.
Tactics
How can you best take advantage of each communication channel?
Trade Publications:• Submit an article• Pitch a story• Apply/Campaign for an award• Blog• Place an advertisement
Tactics
• Submit an article• Pitch a story• Apply/Campaign for an
award• Blog• Place an advertisement• Write a press release• Send a media advisory• Write a feature story
release• Hold a press conference
• Submit a calendar listing• Write a letter to the editor• Develop a newsletter• Write a case study• Hold an event• Speak at a conference• Comment on an online
discussion• Start an online discussion
What else?
Planning: Step Six
Determine which tactics are best suited for each channel of communication and also are appropriate for your organization.
Reality Check
Time = Money*
*PR is time-intensive
Reality Check
Get out your red pen.
ain’t happenin’It’s time to make the
list!
Planning: Step Seven
Taking into consideration your budget, demands on your time, and the resources available at your organization, prioritize your PR objectives and determine which PR activities you can reasonably accomplish in a given period of time.
Nuts and Bolts
So now that you know what you want to do, where do you start?
Break it down.
•By month•By quarter•Whatever works for you
Nuts and Bolts
Put major, confirmed PR opportunities on the calendar first.
• Company product release• Company anniversary• Trade show• National ___ Week• Editorial deadlines• Data / report release date
Nuts and Bolts
Fill in the gaps with your evergreen campaigns.
• By target audience segment• By message• Again, whatever works for you
And don’t forget…
• Social media is an everyday activity• PR measurement must be scheduled
Ta-Da!
Congratulations! You have a PR plan!
You’re finished, right?(You have exactly one guess to get this right)
Ta-Da!
WRONG!
Planning: The Final Step
Not only must you have buy-in from your organization’s management team, but you must communicate the PR plan to everyone in the organization.
COMMUNICATE
COMMUNICATE
COMMUNICATE
Planning: The Final Step
Three kisses of death:
Inaccurate message
Lack of management buy-in
Poor internal communication
