How To Guide

Building Successful PR Campaigns

Executive Summary:

Building successful Public Relations (PR) campaigns is essential for

Marketing Directors in mid-sized enterprises.

Managing budgets and resources for PR can be difficult, especially when

there is no clear understanding of the value, function, or tools that you
may need to procure.

This very concise report will:

 Define Public Relations

 Outline typical PR activities

 Differentiate PR from Advertising

 Illustrate various PR elements

 Provide PR Best Practices

 Help you select the right PR tools

Although PR agencies will tell you that the PR function is too difficult to
manage internally, having the right strategy, tools, and knowledge, will
save you money and further develop your marketing skill set.

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Table of Contents Page

Public Relations Defined 3

Public Relations vs. Advertising 4

Public Relations Elements 4

Public Relations Best Practices 6

Selecting the Right PR Tools 7

Conclusion 8

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Public Relations Defined

What Is Public Relations?

Public Relations (PR) is the act of managing communication between an

organization and its key public stakeholders, with a focus on building
and maintaining a positive image.

PR professionals execute campaigns targeted at specific audiences, to

influence opinions and measure public perception.

Typical Public Relations Activities Involve:

1. Evaluating public exposure, opinions, and attitudes

2. Developing policies for communicating with the public

3. Implementing communication programs across media channels

4. Integrating communications with Marketing programs and brand

5. Creating goodwill by managing a two-way communication process

6. Building a positive relationship between the public and the

organization

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Public Relations vs. Advertising

Public Relations Advertising

Free Placement
Slant from journalist
Creates Credibility
Only mentioned in a story
Viewed more objectively
Takes time, and no guarantees
Paid Placements
Full Creative Control
Creates Visibility
Obvious to consumers
Will run when you pay for it
Simple, if you have budget

Public Relations Elements

It is essential that you create a comprehensive and measureable public

relations plan before starting any public relations activities. Use our
Public Relations Plan Template to document and formulate your PR
strategy. While doing so, it is important to keep the following elements
in mind:

 Audience Targeting - a fundamental technique in PR is

targeting a specific audience for your planned communications.
Select the appropriate audience before creating your message to
ensure you will appeal to their interests.

 Press Conferences - this method allows an organization to

select a specific group of journalists, analysts, or other
constituents, when communicating its position on a given topic.
It is assumed that the speaker will answer questions, following
their speech.

 Press Releases - providing a written statement to the media,

usually communicated via newswire to many sources. Generally,
journalists quote press releases verbatim, as if they had
completed an interview. Use our Press Release Template as a

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guide to writing an effective press release that capture key

messages, establishes credibility, and is interesting to the
reader.

 Optimized Press Release - written communications posted on

an Internet news portal. Be sure to include many carefully
selected keywords so that top search sites, such as Google and
Yahoo News, index your release. This medium allows you to
connect with readers, rather than just journalists.

 E-newsletters - newsletters are an excellent way to keep in

touch with customers and prospects. By having people register
online for your newsletter, you can build up your email-
marketing database.

 Investor Relations - communicating with current and potential

investors is another critical dimension of public relations.

 Webcasts - this communication vehicle provides steaming

audio and/or video content to your audience and can be viewed
on their convenience. A well-developed webcast is an excellent
method for generating leads and industry buzz.

 Speaking Engagements - positioning your key executives as

experts in your industry is another effective way to add
credibility to your organization. Contact industry event planners
to determine which speaking engagements would be a good fit.

 Corporate Events & Sponsorships - sponsoring industry

tradeshows, community events, or charity fundraisers,
demonstrates commitment to being an industry leader. Be sure
to develop a policy for this medium, to avoid under-the-radar
expenditures.

 Analyst Relations - many industries have analyst firms who

provide objective research & advisory services. Be sure to
contact these firms to establish a relationship and communicate
your competitive advantages.

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Public Relations Best Practices

Consider these Best Practices for effective PR Strategy:

1. Evaluate your Media Relations Maturity Level – Use our Media

Relations Maturity Assessment to measure your Media Relations
Maturity across 6 key success drivers: Media, Awareness,
Positioning, Internal Support, Expertise, Process, & Relationships.

2. Segment Various Target Audiences - evaluate your target

audiences, such as customers, prospects, partners, suppliers, etc,
and segment into relevant sub-categories.

3. Determine Customer Information Sources - talk to

representatives from your target audience categories to identify
where they go for information related to your organization and
industry.

4. Build Media Source List for Each Segment - create a high-level

list of potential media outlets that correspond to your customer
information sources.

5. Review Media Sources & Identify Journalists - look for online

editions of your media outlets to determine which journalist would
be an appropriate contact. Develop a relationship with these people
as they have a large influence over what content will be
published. Use our Media Relations Database to track editorial
calendar opportunities, media coverage & contacts and to monitor
due dates.

6. Evaluate Distribution & Delivery Options - there are three

traditional distribution options: newswire, media database, or
individual correspondence. Most PR applications automate the
delivery process, and can provide substantial contacts for your
industry.

7. Decide an Appropriate Time to Deliver - avoid the end of fiscal

quarters or year-end, as many large organizations will be flooding
the media with their results. Don’t get your message lost in the
clutter. If you are launching a new product or service, identify the
optimal time to send your message, i.e. two weeks prior to an event
in a specific geographic region.

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8. Select the Right PR Tools - review the following section of this

report to get an understanding of the PR tools & services
marketplace. You may also want to consider hiring a Media
Specialist. To learn more about this critical function, review our
Media Specialist Job Description.

9. Monitor Coverage & Competitors Activity - monitoring websites,

blogs, or other media outlets for mentions is a critical step in the PR
process. There are many tools to assist with this process, including
website/blog monitoring, press clipping services, or video clipping
services. It is also a good idea to monitor the activity of your
competitors. Use our Media Coverage Analysis Tool to keep track
of the PR spending/value ratio of your top 5 competitors.

10. Measure Results - the hottest topic in PR is the ability to measure

campaign results. Evaluate the total coverage, tonality (positive,
negative, or neutral), sources, and how your organization compares
to the competition. Additionally, contrast how your efforts stack up
to traditional advertising to demonstrate cost savings. Be sure to
ask your PR service provider how reporting and analytics are
integrated with their solution.

Selecting the Right Tools

There are many providers who offer PR Consulting; media contact

databases; newswire distribution; press and video clipping; blog
monitoring; webcast platforms; and other helpful PR services. This
section will help you further develop your strategy by outlining various
vendor offerings.

 PR Consulting - partnering with a PR Consulting firm such as

Hill & Knowlton, or a local provider, can help you with
developing an effective PR process.

 PR Suite Vendors - while organizations such as Vocus and PR

Newswire claim to have a best-of-breed, comprehensive PR
system, many practitioners prefer to save money and piece
together vendor solutions that are well-known for their
particular offerings.
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 Media Contact Database - if your needs necessitate a large

media contact database; consider using Bacon’s
MediaSource.Contact Module.

 PR Submission Engine & Tracking - PR Newswire provides

an excellent press release submission engine but is more
expensive than PRWeb who also offers an integrated solution
with their partner Businesswire.

 Press Clipping Services - to help you monitor the coverage of

your press releases, consider a subscription to BurrellesLuce.

 Video Clipping Services - to monitor your broadcast coverage,

look at multivision’s Digital Showroom 4.0.

 Blog Monitoring - blogs are a rapidly growing content medium.

Analyze what people are saying about your organization with
Biz360 Blogview or CyberAlert.

 Webcasting - create winning online presentations with IVT, or

Angelvision Technologies.

Conclusion

Public relations, if done effectively, can be an inexpensive addition to

your marketing mix. As you develop your strategy, consider the various
elements of a PR Program, learn PR Best Practices, and select the right
tools for your organization.

If you anticipate having difficulty, consider partnering with a PR agency

that has relevant industry experience. Many mid-sized organizations
outsource this function, but with the right tools and know-how, you can
save money and enhance your skill set simultaneously.

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(866) 947-7744