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PR planning = social science
By Fraser Seitel
PR planning is a bona fide social science
that distinguishes strategic PR
from the seat-of-the-pants practice of
which many in the field are often guilty.
Too often, alas, “PR planning” consists
of a supervisor
exhorting his troops
to “Get some bodies,
cameras, lights to the
press conference —
now!”
Not a particularly
thoughtful strategic
process.
Fraser P. Seitel has
been a communications
consultant, author and
teacher for 30 years. He
is the author of the
Prentice-Hall text, The
Practice of Public
Relations.
More preferable —
especially if you consider
the practice of
PR, as my friend Prof.
John Doorley does, a
bone fide social science
— is to approach
every assignment
with a predetermined
planning grid that considers the following
10 steps.
First, Background and Research.
What is the PR and business situation we
are addressing Where does the company
stand in the industry What is the status of
the industry What is the problem we are
trying to prevent or mitigate … or the
advantage we are trying to maximize
Finally, what does the research show
The research is critical to help us navigate
to the goal we wish to reach.
Second, Goal / Objectives. This is the
generalized statement of what you want to
accomplish. Communication goals and
objectives are often distinct from the organizational
or business objectives but they
must always support the organizational or
business goals.
Third, Strategies. A strategy is a generalized
statement of the kinds of actions you
will employ to achieve the objective. A
strategy comprises all the tactics, and each
tactic should fall into place in support of
your strategies.
Fourth, Tactics. A tactic is a specific
action you will take or tool you will use,
such as a news release, a blog, a podcast, an
interview, a note to employees from the
CEO, a speech, a video news release, a
tweet and so on. As noted, many public
relations managers like to jump straight to
tactics.
But as Prof. Doorley cautions, “If you
don’t know where you’re going, any road
will take you there.” And you may well end
up in the wrong place.
Fifth, Audiences / Stakeholder Groups.
PR people must break down audiences into
demographic or psychographic subgroups.
This is particularly true in a day of splintered
media and Internet sub-publics.
There is no such thing as “the Congress”
or “the press,” or “the employees” or the
“general public.” The more “granularly” —
to quote a popular business term — we
define our audiences, the more likely we are
to persuade them.
Sixth, Messages. What messages will
help us reach our audiences and accomplish
the objectives The best messages are
those distinctly designed for a particular
well-delineated public. What employees
care most about in a particular PR situation
— job security, for instance — might be
different from what shareholders care most
about — usually earnings.
PR messaging is where the “rubber
meets the road.” While most general business
managers can devise strategies and
objectives, few possess the communications
capability to create persuasive messages.
That’s the province of the professional
communicator, i.e. the PR professional.
Professional Development
So conceiving winning messages is a most
critical stage of the planning process.
Seventh, Assignments /
Responsibilities. Assigning specific tasks
to individuals not only specifies accountability
for each phase of the project, but also
gives everyone a feeling of responsibility
for the project’s success.
Eighth, Timeline. How long will it take
to implement the strategy, carry out the various
tactics and accomplish the objectives
(Planning language is important: one
accomplishes an objective; one does not
accomplish but rather, “employs” a strategy.)
PR deadlines are necessary in every
assignment. So, too, therefore, is setting a
timeline.
Ninth, Budget. In other words,”What
will it cost”
Tenth, Evaluation. After all is said and
done, “Did we achieve the objectives —
both of the communication plan and of the
business” Evaluative research is necessary
to help measure what we have
achieved and, if appropriate, make midcourse
corrections.
Public relations planning isn’t sexy, nor is
it a guarantee that you won’t be yelling for
the “bodies and the cameras” when the
dreaded day comes for the press conference.
But it does help distinguish sound and
strategic PR implementation.
MAY 2010 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM 57