PR Communication Plan

Top Up Your Tactical Toolkit

Carol Moore

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PREPARING A PUBLIC RELATIONS/ COMMUNICATION PLAN Top up your Tactical Toolkit

An Australian Event Symposium 2011 presentation by Carol Moore MPRIA, Director, Moore Public Relations
[Link] | [Link]

PREPARING A PR PLAN
If your event involves people, you need a PR/communication plan! Varying format, detail and content depending on:
scope purpose size duration big picture

Ten key elements to consider

10 Elements of a PR Plan
1. Background/situation analysis 2. Goals/General Aim 3. Research 4. Key Publics 5. Objectives 6. Communication Strategy & Tactics 7. Timeline 8. Project Management 9. Budget [Link]

[Link]

1. Background & situation analysis

Why are we communicating? Scope of plan
Internal comms, issues/crisis mgmt, media relations, community rels, etc

Facts about organisation, event, previous PR outcomes Communication considerations

Challenges, opportunities, perceptions, attitudes, endorsers, detractors, etc

Consider known or potential issues

What public attitudes/behaviours could cause problems for us? What do we do that impacts negatively on publics or could attract disapproval? What is our reputation & how could it be improved? What could go wrong? Most importantly: how can we prevent or fix these NOW?

Background/situation
Low awareness of AMDF Low awareness of mito disease (complex) Competition for charity $/sympathy Impact on support & fundraising Ongoing mito research & pos. news Mito families available for interview Key medical experts supportive Successful Stay in Bed Days International foundations keen to be involved

2. Goals/General Aim
Aligned with organisations vision, mission, values, business plan big picture Overall program direction or goals Broader than objectives

Goals/General Aim
AMDF mission:
Fund research for diagnosis, treatment & cure of mitochondrial disorders Educate public and doctors about mito Support patients and families

3. Research
Needed to understand situation, set objectives, communicate effectively with key publics Design your plan to be measurable Include in plan:
Previous research & results Other formative research required Research during the campaign

Planning Research & Evaluation in PR

When & what to research/measure

Inputs i.e. planning, pre-testing Outputs i.e. activities, media coverage Outtakes i.e. understanding, retention Outcomes i.e. opinions, attitudes, behaviours, relationships All inter-related and continuous

Research options
Range of options, from low cost/DIY to commissioned research Aim for benchmark data if possible Desk research Field research Formal research (qual. & quant.)

Research
Reviewed AMDF strategic/business plans Reviewed PR evaluation reports, including past Stay in Bed Days Reviewed media coverage analysis Canvassed medical experts re likely news, progress on diagnosis, treatment Talked with patients & families re medical experiences, willingness to be interviewed Annual omnibus phone poll re public awareness (1 in 3) & understanding (1 in 7) of mito disease

4. Key publics
Different groups of people who have an impact on organisation/event Each may require different tactics Segment/define re:
Demographics/socio-economic details Importance to campaign Awareness, level of involvement, attitudes (i.e. situational analysis)

Remember internal publics/stakeholders

Event team, including volunteers Suppliers, consultants Sponsors and their staff Organisations staff Organisations management, board Members

Key Publics
Primary:
People with mito disease & family Friends, colleagues, community members People interested in health/charitable causes

Secondary:
Doctors with an interest in mito disease Business community re potential sponsors Charitable foundations/trusts

Mediating:
Health, medical & science journalists Womens & mens magazines with health focus General news media

5. Communication Objectives
Need to be SMART, esp. measurable Exclude results you cant control Outcome objectives
Changes in attitude, behaviour, etc

Output objectives
Related to specific activities/tactics e.g. media coverage

Integration & accountability

Link comms objectives back to business plan/strategy
How communication/event supports bigger picture Get management buy-in: What will success look like to them?

Design plan to be measurable

Accountability Credibility Repeat business, more $$ next time!

PR Objectives
To increase public awareness of mito disease by X% by 30 June 2012 To increase public understanding of mito disease by X% by 30 June 2012 To equal or exceed impact rating and reach for media coverage of mito & SIBD by 30 June 2012

6. Communication Strategy &

Implementation of Tactics
Strategy = communication rationale
Approach/direction you take to achieve objectives Provides foundation/framework Guides selection of tactics & tools Assists in presenting business case Ensures best use of budget, resources Enables new/reactive opportunities to be considered within a framework
e.g. would this activity be on strategy?

What are communication tactics?

Tactics = activities and/or communication tools used to implement the strategy Wide variety of options, incl. events Select based on situation, publics, objectives, budget, timing, etc Important not to be merely tactical

PR Strategy
Promote mito disease and AMDF through media liaison over a sustained period to build context, awareness
Emphasise mito prevalence, human impact (patient stories), difficulties in diagnosis & treatment, no cure, research vital, AMDF funds used wisely

Utilise Stay in Bed Day to connect with unaware/disconnected publics

Emphasise fun aspect, link with mito/energy, ease of fundraising, ambassadors

Main PR Tactics
Distribute regular media updates to key health/medical/science media Use significant mito medical news as media hook, with AMDF mito experts as spokespeople Utilise mito families in publicity activities & produce Media Guide help them DIY local publicity Use Global Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week and World Stay in Bed Day as media opportunities/hooks
Social media campaign: World Wide Bed on Facebook Targeted media activity, pitches

MEDIA STRATEGY PLANNING

Facts/info/news Target publics Key messages Best channels Comms objectives What coverage we want & when

Types of news News elements Angles Ingredients

WHAT

Media materials Pitch idea/story Contact, liaison S/person intv. Event

HOW

Likely/possible coverage

MEDIA ACTIVITY WHEN

What media want to cover & when Audience interests What sells Editorial policy/mix Media competition

Range of media Different needs Indiv. contacts Best targets?

WHO

Media agenda Lead times Deadlines Embargoes News cycle

Moore Public Relations 2011

OVERVIEW OF AMDF PR PLAN

OUTCOMES Public/corporate/philanthropic interest, support, donations Mito community engagement (patients, families, doctors) AWARENESS OF AMDF: Aims, services, credibility/reputation, fundraising, worthiness of cause AWARENESS OF MITOCHONDRIAL DISEASE: What mito is, how it affects people, prevalence, diagnosis, treatment, need for research and support ONGOING MEDIA COVERAGE & PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT Publicise mito/genetic research advances, human interest stories, Mito Info days, World Stay in Bed Day, Global Mito Awareness Week Leverage reputation of key doctors, educate media Media comment/info from AMDF

6. Strategy & Tactics contd

Also include: Issues management initiatives Crisis management plans Output objectives re specific tactics Key messages, Q&As Spokespeople Media liaison protocols

Top Tactical Tips

Make media events multi-purpose Over-prepare your spokespeople Double-check details and proofread Be prepared for your plans to change Weather, hostile audience, no-shows, breakdowns, children/animals, pollies Communicate regularly on progress/results and manage client expectations Use experts where necessary

7. Timeline
Detailed to-do list Who is doing what, by when Include research activities, evaluation report, etc Chart or table Factor in sufficient time for various elements

8. Project management
Credentials and responsibilities of personnel Account management details e.g. reporting, meetings

9. Budget
Must be thoroughly researched
More expensive incl. more detail

Consider outsourced elements

PR consultancy fees Bought-in services Expenses

Include 10-15% contingency Include sufficient $ for research & evaluation

10. Evaluation
Evaluation is important! Discuss mechanisms/tools to be used during and at end of campaign Refer back to objectives Include measurement criteria Evaluating media coverage

Media content analysis

DIY or outsource analysis Set criteria at outset Analyse each item, for example:
Reach (readership, audience) Tone/favourability Positioning, size/length Key messages, issues Use of quotes/photos Share of voice (re sector/competitors)

Cost per opportunity to see, ROI Avoid Advertising Value Equivalency

AMDF Evaluation
Awareness & understanding: Repeat omnibus survey and measure against benchmark Media coverage: Monitor media, analyse coverage, measure impact and branding against benchmark Also anecdotal feedback from AMDF, experts, mito families, media, updates on fundraising progress

Questions? Comments? Papers and research at: [Link] [Link]

Carol Moore MPRIA, Director, Moore Public Relations
[Link] | [Link]

Media Coverage and Analysis Report

Organisation: Campaign/Issue: Date/period
Total Score /10
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Quality Ratings (0/1 pt each)

Objective # 2

Objective # 3

Objective # 4

Objective #1

Objective # 5

Total Quality Rating

Tone (5/3/0 pts) Balanced (3) Negative (0) Positive (5)

Date

Media Outlet

Location

Media Type

Reach

Notes

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total Reach: Number of Media Items: Average Tone: Average Quality Rating: Average Total Score: Budget: $ Per Contact/Opportunity to See: $ $

(or "opportunities to see") /5 /5 /10 (PR budget for media relations) (Budget by reach)

Tone (5 = positive; 3 = neutral/balanced; 0 = negative). The explicit or strongly implicit characterisation of the article's or segment's subject; how a target audience feels (or is likely to feel) about the organisation, product or topic. Tone is tone is independent of the rest of the variables. Objectives (1 = achieved; 0 = not achieved) could be for key message use, branding, use of quotes/ photo, positioning, size/length, A/B/C target media, etc Could add columns to track useful information re journalist/author, name of spokesperson, main topic, etc

Possible elements in a PR strategy

Format, elements & detail depend on situation, need and client! Timing
e.g. phases, duration, different publics at different times, build-up best return on investment, use of time impact on the organisations mission

Priorities

Integration, support for/of other activities

Possible elements in a PR strategy

Communication process/approach
e.g. proactive/reactive, one/two-way, cascading, open, consultative, tailored

Communication channels Type & mix of communication tools Messaging, focus Image, branding, positioning

Possible elements in a PR strategy

Spokesperson/s, endorsers Issues/risk management considerations Competitor activity Political factors Consumer sentiment

Possible elements in a PR strategy

Publics
Demographics Situational analysis Influence of various publics over others Current & desired level of effect i.e. awareness, comprehension, understanding, changing/reinforcing attitudes, behaviours