| Whether you are a small business run from home, or a | | | | plan to reach your goals. This is what you need to |
| large corporation with hundreds of employees, you | | | | achieve to reach your goals. |
| need to be doing public relations. In this article, I will | | | | · Decide on what your persuasive message |
| show you a 9 step process for planning your public | | | | will be- Once you have developed your goals and |
| relations to ensure it is most productive. Here are the | | | | strategies, you need to work out what you need to tell |
| steps you need to follow: | | | | those people you are targeting. What will you tell them |
| · Select your target audience- No matter what | | | | to reach your goals. |
| your business is, you are not going to be able to sell to | | | | · Decide on what tactics and tools you could |
| everybody. Yes, it would be nice to be able to reach | | | | use- What will you do to fulfil your strategy. Will you |
| all 6 billion people but it's not just going to happen. Tailor | | | | write press releases? Will you write a blog? What |
| your messages to the right target audience. | | | | about participating in forums or will you combine many |
| · Survey them to check their current | | | | of these tactics? |
| knowledge levels- You may not have to survey them | | | | · Monitor for changes in knowledge and |
| directly but the internet search engines help you to | | | | beliefs- Public relations goals and messages can |
| gauge your target audiences beliefs. A quick Google | | | | generally be defined as either reputation building or |
| search and checking forums related to your business | | | | belief changing. You need to monitor what is being said |
| should enable you to understand their current levels of | | | | to see if your reputation has been enhanced or people |
| knowledge. | | | | are being swayed to your beliefs. |
| · Look at how they are reacting with their | | | | · Monitor for behavior change- It's not good |
| current knowledge- Your target audience doesn't just | | | | enough to have changed someone's beliefs, you want |
| know something, they formulate opinions based around | | | | to see a change in behavior, whether that mean acting |
| this 'knowledge.' What does your target public think | | | | like you want them or purchasing more of your |
| about the situation? | | | | product. This is the end result we are looking for. |
| · Set your goals for the campaign- Just like in | | | | A sound Public Relations plan is something that all |
| business, if you are going to do public relations, you | | | | businesses should have, however it is often sadly |
| need to plan your campaign. This involves setting goals | | | | underutilized by business owners as they have no |
| of what you'd like to achieve- increased web hits, | | | | knowledge of public relations planning. This article has |
| changing government regulations etc. | | | | given you a basic understanding of public relations |
| · Select your public relations strategy- Once | | | | planning and hopefully it will be the stepping stone to |
| you have set your goals, your strategy is your overall | | | | bigger and better things. |