PR Planning and Executing the public relations Campaign.

PR Planning and Executing the public relations 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.
 PR Planning and Executing the public relations 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.
 PR Planning and Executing the public relations 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).
 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).
 PR Planning and Executing the public relations 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.
 PR Planning and Executing the public relations 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
Americans 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.
 PR Planning and Executing the public relations 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
Grunigs 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.
 PR Planning and Executing the public relations Campaign: Select Research
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.
 PR Planning and Executing the public relations 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
 PR Planning and Executing the public relations 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.
Thats 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
 PR Planning and Executing the public relations 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.
 PR Planning and Executing the public relations Campaign: Selecting
channels and media

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?
 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
 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
 Using Visual Aids but make sure that you dont 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
Speakers 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
 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..
 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)
 Preparing a manager for press contact

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.
Dont 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 arent 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.
Dont show favoritism to some reporters, the other may feel
negative
 Dont 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.