PR planning and Executing the Public relations campaign
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The document discusses planning for public relations campaigns and programs. It explains that campaigns have a specific beginning and end but consist of multiple events over weeks or months, while programs have no preset end and are intended for continued communication. Research methods like surveys and focus groups are described. The importance of identifying key audiences and tailoring messages to their needs is emphasized. Factors to consider in selecting media channels are outlined. Finally, tips are provided for preparing managers for press contact and delivering effective speeches.
PR planning and Executing the Public relations campaign
- 1. PR Planning and Executing the public relations’ Campaign.
- 2. PR PlanningandExecutingthepublicrelations’Campaign. • Because planning is such an important part of public relations, it is useful to understand the different requirements of an event, a campaign, and a program. • An event is a one-shot occurrence. It happens in one time frame-an hour, a day, or perhaps as long as a week-and it serves one prime purpose with one or more selected publics. • A campaign has at least one thing in common with an event: a specific beginning and ending point. But because those two points are separated by weeks or even months, and because several different events will be part of the process, we call it a campaign. • A program is like a campaign in that it consists of several events. But it differs from a campaign in that it has no pre-set and point. • A program is put in place because of an anticipated need for continued dissemination of information. • The program is reviewed periodically to determine whether its objectives are being met. All or parts of it will be continued as long as there is a need for more communication with target publics.
- 3. PR PlanningandExecutingthepublicrelations’Campaign. • Drug education, driving safety, blood donation, adoption, nutrition are all social situations that call for a continuing program since complete resolution is out of question. • In defining the situation and beginning the planning process, temporary chaos can result if no one defines whether an event, a campaign or a program is in order. The deciding factor may be the types of objectives desired by the client: – Communication, – accuracy, – understanding, – agreement, and – complementary objectives.
- 4. PR PlanningandExecutingthepublicrelations’Campaign. • Communication Objectives for an event include: – Attendance by a certain number of people. – One-time dissemination of information to a target public. – Putting something “on the record” for an organization and its publics – Gaining press attention. • Objectives for a campaign might be: – Delivering a positive vote or reaction at the proper time (behavior). – Building support for an issue that will be resolved in due courses (agreement). – Raising funds for an organization so that it can proceed with growth (behavior). – Attracting enough support to guarantee continuance or survival of an organization at critical time (understanding).
- 5. • Objectives for a program could include: – Creating and maintaining a level of support for an ongoing program (understanding) – Opening and maintaining contact with other organizations that enable your organization to continue its functions (communication).
- 6. PR PlanningandExecutingthepublicrelations’Campaign. • Successful organizations also base their actions on a game plan. • The process starts with the enunciation of a mission statement. This is an important part of a strategic planning . • “Making a fair profit for our stockholders by developing and distributing the highest-quality goods to a national market.” “treating our consumers and employees fairly and being good citizens of the communities where are facilities are located.” • Out of the mission statement grows a list of goals-somewhat more specific than the mission statement, but still general in nature and unspecific as to time frame or numerical targets. • Goals for the manufacturing company may be “to be a market leader in the small appliance field.”
- 7. PR PlanningandExecutingthepublicrelations’Campaign. • Only when a mission statement and goals are in place can the management of an organization move to the necessary task of setting objectives. What makes objectives different from mission and goals is their specificity. An objective should specify the desire effects as specifically as possible. “To increase the number of senators who understand the Leukemia Society of American’s position on research funding from forty-five senators to seventy-five senators by November 1” or “To decrease the number of newspapers in the state that oppose rate reforms for the insurance industry from 60 percent to 40 percent by the first of the year.”
- 8. PR PlanningandExecutingthepublicrelations’Campaign. • Once goals and objectives are in place, they can be drawn upon to plan campaigns and programs. – Research on the problem or opportunity – Action that includes evaluation and planning – Communication of the message from organization to publics, and – Evaluation of the effects of those messages • Grunig’s “ Behavioral Molecule” further broke the management steps into: – detecting a problem – constructing a possible solution – defining alternatives – selecting the best course of action – confirming the choice by pre-testing – behaving by enacting a program, and then returning to the process of – detecting whether the program met the desired objectives.
- 9. PR PlanningandExecutingthepublicrelations’Campaign:SelectResearch Methodology • Research can be extensive and expensive (primary), or if the situation warrants, it can involve simply poring over existing information already gathered for another purpose and analyzing the relevance the data have for the current public relations situation (secondary). Different Types of Research • Surveys often are performed by opinion measurement specialists, although though increasingly people with college training in public relations are able to prepare, administer, and analyze the data from their own questionnaires. – Samples of target audiences must be scientific and random if the results are to be valid. – Questionnaires must be constructed carefully to rule out bias and to assure the validity of each item, which involves pre-testing. If done properly, the survey may take weeks to design, test, administer, and analyze-often at considerable expense. – Fortunately, new software packages designed for the personal computer make it possible for the researcher to glean a wealth of data, including interesting correlations between various responses on the survey.
- 10. PR PlanningandExecutingthepublicrelations’Campaign. • Focus group interviews are a marketing research technique that has been successful adopted by the needs of public relations practitioners. They do not yield the strictly quantitative data that can be gotten from a survey. • They have the advantage of being open-ended and permitting members of target groups to speak in their own term of understanding, provide their own emphasis, and response to the views expressed by other members of the same group. • The focus group interview requires trained moderators and equipments for recording the session. Audio and/or video tapes have to be put in transcript form, and then the transcript must be summarized and analyzed. • Sometimes focus group interviews are used as the basis for designing the questionnaires used in survey research, creating a valuable linkage between the two devices and enriching the value of both. • The Final Stage of Research is the Analysis of the Collected Information
- 11. PR PlanningandExecutingthepublicrelations’Campaign. • Identifying your key publics-those groups that are more likely to seek and process information and to behave in a way consequences on your organization- is a fundamental aim of the process we call public relations management. • Once target audiences have been selected, it is important to decide what message each group needs to receive from your organization. Rarely does an information campaign give precisely the same message to each of its publics. • That’s because careful analysis shows that each public has a different stake in the organization. A campaign that wants to promote Greek made products it can be spelled out in three different audiences Audience Message Retailers “A made is Greece” label is a valuable selling tool Manufacturers Producing at home is a good business Consumers Made in Greece means quality
- 12. PR PlanningandExecutingthepublicrelations’Campaign. • We have learned to identify key publics and make sure that their information needs are served before we concern ourselves with the so-called “general public.” • The campaign or program aimed at the most important publics needs to be fully funded before additional money is spent on programs aimed on secondary publics-a concept explored. • If key public have not been identified in the planning stage, there is a likelihood that “a little money will be spent on this, and a little on that”- an advertisement here, T-shirts there, and probably an all-purpose brochure just because somebody says “we ought to have a brochure.” • Budgeting must follow the setting of goals and objectives, and it also must follow the identification of key publics. It precedes media selection and message design. • If budgeting is done at the wrong point in the process, it is difficult for public relations people to explain their financial needs to management. If on the other hand, the “homework” has been done, management can better understand the request for the Euros needed to accomplish the objectives set for the key publics.
- 13. PR PlanningandExecutingthepublicrelations’Campaign:Selectingchannels andmedia • During the planning of a campaign or a program, part of the analysis of each key public should include such questions as: – Where do members of our key publics get their information? – Which media do they rely upon to make decisions about what is important and how to behave? – Which channels provide the two-way communication that enables key publics to provide information to our organization about their needs and concerns? • Another level of analysis focuses on the characteristics of each medium and their relationship to the campaign or program: – Which media allows us to get our point of view across most effectively? – Which media are best suited to the information requirements of our campaign, such as the presenting of visual images, the need for two- way communication, or the ability to tell a story in depth? – Which media are most cost-effective for this type of information?
- 14. • Organizing and Outlining: a speech should be outlined in a way that you organize a term paper or an article. The concept can be summarized by that old saying: Tell them what are you going to tell them; then tell them; and finally, tell them what you told them. • Working with the Speaker – The writer should work with the speaker on every phase of developing the speech. • The length, rhythm of sentences, the choice of words must be appropriate to the individual speaking style • The speaker must feel familiar enough to the facts • The speaker must have sufficient confidence to the speech in order to give it with conviction • The all important introduction – A joke is a great way to start a speech – If, however, the speech is to be serious in tone, then an ominous opening statement might be appropriate “Athens may be a ghost town twenty years from now….” – Intriguing, or little known facts may stimulate the curiosity of the audience – Personal history is also an effective devise for opening your speech ‘this is the
- 15. • How much to say? – No one will get mad at a speaker who made a twenty minutes speech when he was scheduled for twenty five minutes. • Delivering the Speech – If a manager has to address a friendly and familiar audience then he/she does not need any help from the PR department. – The story is different, however, when he/she has to appear in front of an audience that they are not familiar with • Therefore, PR department is also responsible for providing coaching, and further helping managers polish their speech through rehearsals
- 16. • Using Visual Aids but make sure that you don’t misuse them • Make sure to get so9me feedback and evaluation of the speech – A Speech evaluation form may includes • Date, audience, speaker, evaluator • Room was properly set up for presentation • Introduction of speaker was clear and adequate • Speaker’s dress and bearing were appropriate to occasion • Voice level was satisfactory to the audience • Speaker established rapport with audience • Credibility of speaker was established • Eye contact was maintained • Over dependence on prepared script was avoided
- 17. • Opening section got attention • Topic area and main point were clearly established • Main points were repeated and emphasized • Topic was clearly summarized and point driven home • Ending section elicited desired reaction • Audience was engaged throughout speech • Feedback was acknowledged and corrections made • Opportunity for questions was provided • Visual aids were properly set up and used • Visual aids provided emphasis and clarity • Speaker was comfortable using visual aids • Audience reaction to visual aids was positive • Other suggestions………………..
- 18. • Remember if you work for an organization that sends a speaker out every week then it is not a bad idea to establish a speech bureau (list of speakers and their interest / expertise area)
- 19. Preparingamanagerforpresscontact • The spokesperson should take a number of issues into consideration: – Be brief – reporters prefer short sentences. Also is a good idea for avoiding paraphrase – Avoid being cagey about information. • Don’t ask that something be “off the record” – nobody can guarantee it. • The ‘no comment’ statement makes the speaker looks evasive • If you are not sure about something, instead of pretending to be secretive, tell the reporters that you aren’t sure and that you will find the facts and contact them. • Maintain a firm but cordial stance. If the reporters are on a first-name basis with you, then address them by first name too. • Don’t show favoritism to some reporters, the other may feel negative
- 20. • Don’t loose your temper. If you threat a member of the press then remember this is a new story for the press. • When you are asked negative questions, make sure not to give a knee jerk, defensive response. Remember the two way symmetrical communication model – be honest… • Keep calm and try to manage a smile. You are only doing your job and the reporters are only doing theirs.