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

Questions?

Call or email me:

Jennifer Butsch Petit

1-757-656-WORD

jennifer@WordUpPR.com