| Are you interested in being a public relations | | | | The third part must list the strategies. Discuss what the |
| professional? Do you want to help business owners | | | | corporation should do to achieve each particular goal. |
| become more successful? You can make your dream | | | | The fourth part must include an evaluation plan. List |
| come true. | | | | ways the organization can measure the results for |
| You must know how to create an effective public | | | | each strategy that is used. My plan focused heavily on |
| relations campaign plan. The plan must be written and | | | | creating an outreach program in a targeted community |
| executed thoroughly. | | | | that would provide a mechanism that enables |
| Before you can create your plan, you must be | | | | African-American families to contribute to United Way |
| informed about the company you are helping. Conduct | | | | agencies regularly; therefore, I proposed holding |
| interviews with people who work there. Visit their web | | | | fund-raisers and other special events to encourage |
| site. Read articles pertaining to the business. | | | | current minority donors to join the African-American |
| The beginning of your plan should discuss the | | | | Leadership Giving Initiative. I suggested the organization |
| organization's history. Your overview should include | | | | can determine if the events are successful by counting |
| information pertaining to the organization's main goal. | | | | all the current minority donors in attendance who join |
| The purpose of the plan I devised as a class | | | | the initiative. |
| assignment for The United Way of Greater St. Louis in | | | | The fifth part must include the schedule of action. This |
| 1999 was to help persuade their African-American | | | | component should be a timeline. Offer dates for every |
| contributors to donate more money while gaining more | | | | strategy to be implemented. Offer flexibility; for |
| recognition. I mentioned that more than 400 | | | | example, you could write, "The frequency of the |
| African-Americans donated more than $715,000 in the | | | | events you hold should be determined by your level of |
| St. Louis area in 1998. | | | | success. If the events are very successful, they should |
| The second part must include a summary of the | | | | be held every six to eight weeks." |
| original campaign. Summarize everything the plan | | | | You must be proficient with graphic design and know |
| includes. | | | | graphic design software applications because a good |
| The third part must include a justification of the original | | | | campaign plan requires good promotional pieces and |
| campaign. Reiterate the overall purpose of the | | | | many public relations and marketing employers require |
| campaign proposal. Discuss why your proposals are | | | | good graphic design skills and knowledge of graphic |
| necessary. | | | | design software applications such as Quark, Adobe |
| The fourth part should include a bibliography. The | | | | Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Practice creating |
| bibliography should include your interviews. Do research | | | | flyers, press releases and newsletters with the |
| on how to format a bibliography. | | | | materials you find in your newspaper or other |
| The fifth part should be the main body. The main part | | | | publications. Learn Quark, Photoshop and Illustrator |
| must consist of an outline of five important | | | | through books and practice. You can also use |
| components. | | | | Microsoft Word to create certain graphics such as |
| The first part of your outline must cover the goals. List | | | | text boxes. |
| every goal your campaign focuses on achieving. | | | | Your plan should include a press release, audio news |
| The second part must list the objectives. Include at | | | | release, flyer, billboard ad, business cards for |
| least one objective for each goal. The objectives must | | | | volunteers and a pledge letter. The pledge letter should |
| explain what that portion of the project will focus on. | | | | urge contributors to donate more money. |