Strategic Planning for Public Relations

by Smith, Ronald D.

• ISBN13: 9780805842333
• ISBN10: 0805842330
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-01-01
• Publisher: LEA, Inc.

Summary

This innovative text offers a new way of understanding public relations and other types of strategic communication. As an in-depth approach to public relations planning, it presents a step-by-step unfolding of the planning process most often used in public relations practice. Drawing from his background in practice and teaching, Ron Smith walks readers through the critical steps for the formative research, strategic and tactical planning, and plan evaluation phases of the process. Complete with clear explanations, relevant examples, and practical exercises, this text identifies and discusses the various decision points and options in the development of a communication program. Both classic public relations situations and current, timely events are presented in cases and examples throughout. Recognizing that the practice of public relations and marketing communication is becoming more strategic, this text emphasizes the process of making decisions -- not by hunches or instinct, but by solid and informed reasoning, drawing on the science of communication as well as its various art forms. The process illustrated here will be applicable to work in businesses and nonprofit organizations of all types. Assuming that effective creativity is more likely to result from careful, insightful planning than from a bolt of inspiration,Strategic Planning for Public Relationsassists creative people in becoming more organized in their planning, and helps methodical people bring more creative energy to their work. Whether employed as a classroom text or as a resource for practice, this volume provides a model that can be adapted to fit specific circumstances and used to improve effectiveness and creativity in communication planning. It serves as an accessible and understandable guide to field-tested procedures that will enhance public relations practice.

Author Biography

Ronald D. Smith APR is a professor of public communication at Buffalo State College

Table of Contents

Introduction
Strategic Communication	2	(2)
Integrated Communication	4	(4)
Nine Steps of Strategic Public Relations	8	(4)
Formative Research	9	(1)
Strategy	10	(1)
Tactics	11	(1)
Evaluative Research	11	(1)
Effective Creativity	12	(5)
Phase One FORMATIVE RESEARCH	17	(50)
Analyzing the Situation	19	(9)
Public Relations Situation	19	(3)
Issues Management	22	(2)
Public Relations and Ethics	24	(1)
Strategic Planning Example: Analyzing the Situation	25	(1)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the Situation	25	(3)
Analyzing the Organization	28	(11)
Internet Environment	28	(2)
Public Perception	30	(1)
External Environment	31	(1)
Strategic Planning Example: Analyzing the Organization	32	(1)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the Internal Environment	33	(2)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing Public Perception	35	(2)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the External Environment	37	(2)
Analyzing the Publics	39	(28)
What is a Public?	39	(2)
Publics, Markets and Audiences	39	(1)
Characteristics of a Public	40	(1)
Identifying Publics	41	(5)
Four Categories of Publics	41	(3)
Key Publics	44	(1)
Intercessory Publics and Opinion Leaders	45	(1)
Strategic Planning Example: Identifying Publics	46	(1)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Identifying Publics	47	(2)
Identifying Key Publics	49	(1)
Strategic Planning Example: Identifying Key Publics	49	(3)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Identifying Key Publics	52	(1)
Analyzing Key Publics	53	(6)
Stages of Development	54	(2)
Key Characteristics	56	(1)
Rethinking Your Publics	57	(1)
benefit Statement	58	(1)
Strategic Planning Example: Analyzing Key Publics	59	(2)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing Key Publics	61	(6)
Phase Two STRATEGY	67	(84)
Establishing Goals and Objectives	69	(13)
Goals	69	(1)
Positioning	70	(1)
Objectives	71	(6)
Standards for Objectives	72	(2)
Hierarchy of Objectives	74	(3)
Writing Public Relations Objectives	77	(1)
Strategic Planning Example: Establishing Goals and Objectives	78	(1)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Establishing Goals and Objectives	79	(3)
Formulating Action and Response Strategies	82	(31)
Proactive Public Relations Strategies	82	(15)
Action Strategies	82	(9)
Communication Strategies	91	(6)
Reactive Public Relations Strategies	97	(12)
Pre-emptive Action Strategy: Prebuttal	98	(1)
Offensive Response Strategies	99	(1)
Defensive Response Strategies	100	(2)
Diversionary Response Strategies	102	(2)
Vocal Commiseration Strategies	104	(3)
Rectifying Behavior Strategies	107	(2)
Strategic Inaction: silence	109	(1)
Strategic Planning Example: Formulating Action and Response Strategies	109	(1)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Formulating Action and Response Strategies	110	(3)
Using Effective Communication	113	(38)
Communication Processes	113	(4)
Information	113	(2)
Persuasion	115	(1)
Dialogue	116	(1)
Rhetorical Tradition	117	(1)
Ethos: Convincing Communicators	118	(6)
Credibility	119	(1)
Charisma	120	(1)
Control	121	(1)
Identifying Organizational Spokespeople	122	(2)
Strategic Planning Example: Identifying Message Sources	124	(1)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Identifying Message Sources	125	(1)
Logos: Appealing to Reason	126	(2)
Proposition	126	(1)
Verbal Evidence	127	(1)
Avoiding Errors of Logic	128	(1)
Visual Supporting Evidence	128	(1)
Pathos: Appealing to Sentiment	128	(5)
Positive Emotional Appeals	130	(1)
Negative Emotional Appeals	131	(2)
Strategic Planning Example: Determining Message Appeals	133	(1)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Determining Message Appeals	134	(1)
Verbal and Nonverbal Communication	135	(9)
Verbal Communication	135	(7)
Nonverbal Communication	142	(2)
Strategic Planning Example: Planning Verbal/Nonverbal Communication	144	(1)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Planning Verbal and Nonverbal Communication	145	(6)
Phase Three TACTICS	151	(78)
Choosing Communication Tactics	153	(58)
Conventional Communication Categories	153	(1)
Strategic Communication Categories	154	(2)
Interpersonal Communication Techniques	156	(8)
The Strategy of Interpersonal Communication Tactics	156	(1)
Personal Involvement	157	(1)
Information Exchange	158	(2)
Special Events	160	(4)
Strategic Planning Example: Choosing Interpersonal Communication Tactics	164	(1)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Choosing Interpersonal Communication Tactics	165	(2)
Organizational Media Tactics	167	(7)
The Strategy of Organizational Media Tactics	167	(1)
General Publications	167	(3)
Direct Mail	170	(2)
Miscellaneous Print Media	172	(1)
Audiovisual Media	172	(2)
Strategic Planning Example: Choosing Organizational Media Tactics	174	(1)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Choosing Organizational Media Tactics	175	(1)
News Media Tactics	176	(17)
The Strategy of News Media Tactics	176	(2)
Newspapers	178	(3)
Magazines	181	(1)
Radio	182	(2)
Television	184	(1)
Serving Media Information Needs	184	(2)
Direct News Material	186	(4)
Indirect News Material	190	(1)
Opinion Material	190	(1)
Interactive News Opportunities	191	(2)
Strategic Planning Example: Choosing News Media Tactics	193	(1)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Choosing News Media Tactics	194	(1)
Advertising and Promotional Media Tactics	195	(9)
The Strategy of Advertising and Promotional Media Tactics	195	(1)
Print Advertising Media	196	(3)
Electronic Media Advertising	199	(2)
Out-of-Home Advertising	201	(2)
Promotional Items	203	(1)
Strategic Planning Example: Choosing Advertising and Promotional Tactics	204	(1)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Choosing Advertising and Promotional Tactics	205	(1)
Packaging the Communication Tactics	206	(3)
Thinking Creatively	207	(1)
Putting the Program Together	207	(2)
Strategic Planning Example: Packaging the Communication Tactics	209	(1)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Packaging Communication Tactics	210	(1)
Implementing the Strategic Plan	211	(18)
The Written Plan	211	(2)
The Schedule	213	(3)
Frequency of Tactics	213	(1)
Timelines of Tasks	214	(2)
The Budget	216	(8)
Budget Item Categories	217	(1)
Approaches to Budgeting	218	(3)
Managing the Budget	221	(2)
Full-Cost Budgets	223	(1)
How Much Success is Necessary?	224	(1)
Strategic Planning Example: Implementing the Strategic Plan	224	(2)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Implementing the Strategic Plan	226	(3)
Phase Four EVALUATIVE RESEARCH	229	(26)
Evaluating the Strategic Plan	231	(24)
Research Design: what to Evaluate	231	(2)
Design Questions	231	(1)
Evaluation Criteria	232	(1)
Timing: When to Evaluate	233	(3)
Implementation Report	233	(3)
Progress Report	236	(1)
Final Evaluation	236	(1)
Research Design	236	(2)
Methodology: How to Evaluate	238	(10)
Judgemental Assessments	239	(2)
Evaluation of Communication Outputs	241	(2)
Evaluation of Awareness Objectives	243	(3)
Evaluation of Acceptance Objectives	246	(1)
Evaluation of Action Objectives	246	(2)
Data Analysis	248	(1)
Evaluation Reports	248	(2)
Structure of the Evaluation Report	249	(1)
The Ultimate Evaluation: Value-Added Public Relations	249	(1)
Strategic Planning Example: Evaluating the Strategic Plan	250	(1)
Strategic Planning Exercise: Evaluating the Strategic Plan	251	(4)
Appendix A Applied Research Techniques	255	(44)
Appendix B Ethical Standards	299	(10)
Appendix C Sample Campaigns	309	(20)
Index	329