Rebecca has recently led several sessions for clients who want to develop strategic communications plans for 2008.

If you are considering ways to strategically plan your communications efforts, this issue of PR Matters gives you "How to Develop a PR Plan that's Right for You."

If you are interested in organizing a planning session for your group, please let us know.

Enjoy!

How to Develop a PR Plan that's Right for You

Many organizations (both for-profit and not-for-profits) operate in a feast-or-famine mentality. When business is good, there’s no time to spend on promotion. But when things slow down, there’s too much stress to thoughtfully generate new business. And even for companies who plan their communications efforts, there’s often a moment of sheer panic when staff members realize how much work needs to be done.

It doesn’t have to be this way, and with a methodical plan of action, it is possible to cultivate a more balanced flow to incoming business.

Public relations is a long-term investment that requires considerable preparation, not just the distribution of an occasional media release. Though every organization is different, there are some general steps you can take to develop a public relations plan and put it into action.

Here are nine steps to develop the program that’s right for you. If used properly, these tools can take your communications efforts to the next level.

Commit to the Process
The time you spend planning can profoundly impact your business by helping create synergies that allow staff members to work “on purpose.” Decide that you’re going to spend at least 30 minutes every month and a 3-4 hours every six months to develop your plan. Schedule this time now with your communication staff.

Do Your Homework
Find out what your target audiences know about your organization, its products/services, and those of your competitors. Talk to people (in person, on the phone or online) asking questions about what they think about your products/services, and also what they think of competitive organizations. Develop systems to track how these perceptions change over time, then incorporate your findings into your strategic planning session.

Get it on Paper
You need a written program that clearly states long-term goals and then the measurable objectives you’ll use to get there. The written plan assigns responsibility and accountability. To develop the plan, list your goals and to-do items on paper. If you don’t already have goals along with a few initial to-do items, stop reading now and start writing. Your items might include: develop/revise website; develop e-zine or newsletter, develop media release calendar, develop media list, create advisory council, etc.

Prioritize the List
Track items by importance and date (meaning an event that happens at a certain time, like the holiday season). List what you’d like to have done and back up the tasks to get there. For instance, to develop a media release, you’ve got to think of an angle, write the release, distribute it and follow-up before you have even the slightest chance of seeing results. Put elements that aren’t highest priority into a pending file so you can get to them during your next planning period.

Use the Plan
The plan is a map, just like one you’d take on a long car trip. But since you can’t always plan exactly when you’ll need to visit a rest area or stop to get a bite to eat, consider where you can be opportunistic. You can’t predict news, so you need to be ready, because you’ll encounter unexpected opportunities (or sometimes potholes) along the way.

Be Media Savvy
When developing the media relations portion of your plan, be realistic about the newsworthiness of the information your company distributes. Be sure your information is professionally written and presented to the media.

Staff Appropriately
Be realistic—it’s better to admit early on that you'll need staff or outside help to effectively implement than to sacrifice the integrity of the plan due to insufficient staffing.

Evaluate and Modify
Don’t let your plan gather dust on the shelf. Just as you measure other areas of the business, you must measure the results of a public relations program, so you can track results and make improvements. Evaluate your effort on a monthly basis and modify where necessary. Remember the 80/20 rule—see if you can find the 20 percent of your efforts that are yielding 80 percent of the results. Some measurement tools include tracking product sales, inquiries, unsolicited positive letters and media coverage, as well as traditional research tools like focus groups and online surveys.

Go Direct
Communicate directly with your customers on a regular basis and provide truly useful information, not just sales offers. Whether it’s through a traditional newsletter, an e-mail newsletter or other methods, keep reminding your customers that you’re thinking about ways they could be more effective.

As you develop your plan, remember the axiom: “advertising is what you pay for, public relations is what you pray for.” Make sure the information you distribute is always useful, credible and accurate—and use your PR plan to generate your best year ever in 2008!

Hart & Partners News

Over the past few months, Rebecca has spoken at a variety of professional development events, including PRSA and the IABC Southern District Meeting (Communicating with Volunteers: A Few Ingredients for Success).

We developed a printed piece for students on behalf of the UF PR Advisory Council: A Few Tips for Success, and helping our friends at Dunn Wellness Center develop a regular e-zine.

We have also enjoyed conducting 2008 Strategic Communications Planning for the YMCA of Florida's First Coast and hosting the IABC First Coast Chapter's board retreat.

Finally, we just learned the website we wrote for The Ertrachter Group just won a Gold Addy! Congratulations to our friends at Brown Dog Creative for the design award.

Let's Stay in Touch!

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Quote

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing."

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
16th President of the United States

Until next time,

Rebecca Hart, APR
President, Hart & Partners

Comments and questions may be directed to info@hartandpartners.com.
Or you can call anytime: (904) 246-7351.