| Public relations can be defined as the practice of | | | | interviews, surveys and focus groups. The bottom line: |
| managing the information exchanged between an | | | | you need to know where you are now in order to |
| organization and those who are interested in - or | | | | know where you are going. |
| potentially affected by - that organization. Effective | | | | Step #3: Set a budget: Effective PR can be done |
| public relations can be carried out by an organization's | | | | cheaply or even for free in some cases. However, as |
| own internal PR team, or it can be entrusted to an | | | | a rule you should anticipate some level of expenditure |
| external agency. In any event, it is wise for an | | | | for your campaign,. Budget concerns are an important |
| organization wishing to conduct public relations to | | | | factor. Since your PR budget has a strong effect on |
| devise a solid plan before acting. | | | | the resources you can afford to put behind your plan, |
| An effective PR plan is one that satisfies the needs of | | | | be sure to carefully set an appropriate budget by |
| both the organization and its various "publics" (i.e., those | | | | including all of the relevant stakeholders. Tip: if your |
| who are interested in and/or stand to be affected by | | | | CEO (or equivalent organizational leader) can be |
| the organization and its future actions). The | | | | convinced of the potentially wide-ranging financial and |
| organization itself benefits from a PR plan because the | | | | reputation-related effects of the issue you are trying |
| plan can help organize its thinking and actions related | | | | to convey to your publics, he or she will be much more |
| to how to best get their intended message out. | | | | likely to earmark the appropriate funds for your PR |
| Meanwhile, the intended recipients of the campaign's | | | | initiative. |
| message - and often many unintended recipients as | | | | Step #4: Decide how you will get the word out: Good |
| well - stand to benefit from the process by being | | | | public relations work is a multi-faceted area of practice |
| better informed about something that matters to their | | | | with a multitude of options available in terms of ways |
| lives. | | | | to communicate your message. For example, you may |
| Whether your organization chooses to conduct its | | | | find ways to entice reporters to write special-interest |
| own PR work or to be represented by a PR firm | | | | articles written about your organization. Or, you might |
| specializing in the field, it is important to start with a solid | | | | hold a public relations event, submit your organization |
| plan. | | | | for consideration for an industry award, or hold a press |
| Here are 5 tips for writing an effective public relations | | | | conference - just to name a few. The mode of |
| plan: | | | | communication you ultimately choose will depend upon |
| Step #1: Determine what message you want to | | | | many factors, including the nature of the message you |
| convey, and to whom: Every organization has its own | | | | want to convey, the current political climate around the |
| challenges in terms of public perception. Some are | | | | issue (if applicable), the degree to which the issue is of |
| looking to get more exposure, while others are looking | | | | general public interest, your PR budget, and other |
| to influence or change the public's pre-existing | | | | factors. |
| perceptions. Still others want to highlight recent | | | | Step #5: Create a plan of execution, including a |
| achievements in order to gain the attention of | | | | detailed timeline: Every good public relations plan must |
| prospective investors, partners or customers. | | | | include a step-by-step plan that outlines the key |
| Your public relations plan needs to start with a clear | | | | milestones of your PR effort and fills in the specific |
| sense among the members of your PR team as to | | | | details for executing the plan. An important element of |
| the nature of the message your company wants to | | | | your plan of execution is to assign each task to a |
| convey. Then, your team needs to clearly define | | | | particular person, along with a deadline; this creates a |
| whom you would like to receive that message. For | | | | sense of accountability for each task. Of course, once |
| both items, be as specific as possible during the | | | | the execution phase is launched and some time |
| planning phase: they set the tone for the rest of your | | | | passes, you will likely find yourself needing to adjust |
| campaign. | | | | your tactics to meet an ever-changing environment. |
| Step #2: Gauge the current public opinion about your | | | | Still, this need to make ongoing adjustments to your |
| organization: It is very important that your plan include | | | | plan is no excuse for skipping the mapping out of the |
| your conducting of some formal or informal research | | | | tactical steps ahead of time. During periods of relative |
| about the nature of public opinion vis-à-vis your | | | | chaos, you will be glad to have a plan to which you |
| organization as it stands today. Rather than making | | | | can refer in order to keep things on track. |
| assumptions about how your stakeholders - as well as | | | | Every solid public relations plan should be built upon the |
| your prospective investors, customer and partners - | | | | basic framework highlighted above. Whether you |
| view your firm, it is important that you find out more | | | | conduct your own campaign or entrust your PR |
| about what they actually think. This type of research | | | | campaign to an expert PR firm, your plan - and the |
| can take the form of secondary research such as | | | | thinking you go through to formulate it - will go a long |
| reading opinion polls or articles about your firm, or it can | | | | way toward helping you reach your PR objectives. |
| take the form of primary research such as via | | | | |