PR Planning - How Do You Create A PR Plan?

Your Public Relations (PR) plan might be one page or many. It does not really matter - the key is to have one. Ad hoc PR will get you some results but will not be as successful, or cost effective, as a sustained campaign. Often, people just focus on activity in relation to PR. This can have its uses but will not achieve the perception ‘shift’ you are looking for. There are vital steps you need to take in devising a PR plan.
* Audit – you need to have a clear idea of where your organisation is in terms of the perceptions of the audiences that are important to you. PR is all about perception – creating, enhancing or changing it. You should not embark on any PR until you know exactly what your key audiences think, feel and believe about your organisation. This also gives you a helpful benchmark against which you can measure any activity.
* Aspiration – this is key. Where exactly do you want your organisation to be in terms of perception. Put everything aside that could stand in your way – this is about the big picture and how you want your organisation to be perceived and known.
* Aims – you need to get into the detail and spell out exactly what you want to achieve. ‘More profile’ is not enough – you need to define your objectives in a way in which they can be measured – they need to be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound.
* Audiences – it is essential that you identify the audiences that are important to you. Achieving national press and media coverage may be good for the ego but does it really help you get the messages across to your key audiences?
* Attention – any campaign needs robust and specific key messages. They underpin your communication and help you in assessing your campaign’s success.
* Activity and Application – this is where the fun starts. By now you will have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and who you are targeting. The key is now to come up with the creative ideas that will provide you with the opportunity to get your messages across as effectively as possible. That could involve many different activities – from events and competitions to research, celebrity involvement and online forums.
* Assessment – if you have done your job properly with regard to carrying out your audit and setting your objectives then assessment should fall neatly into place.