public relations planning in a dynamic marketplace
DESCRIPTION
Presented at the Illinois Technology Association Marketing Roundtable. Designed for intermediate level PR and marketing people.TRANSCRIPT
Contemporary Public Relations
Developing a Strategic Communications Plan in a
Dynamic Marketplace
Agenda
• Brief Ruder Finn background• What does PR mean to you?• Developing a strategic plan• An offer• Q&A
Ruder Finn Background
• Global full service agency with 15 offices world wide• 60+ years of promoting emerging companies and some of the
world’s premier brands• Privately held, family owned company known as “The World’s
Largest Boutique PR Firm”• Global Practice Areas
• Health & Wellness• Corporate & Public Trust• Life+Style • Global Connectivity
• Chicago office deep in Technology and Consumer Marketing
Relevant Client Experience
What does public relations mean to you?
• Brand Positioning/Re-positioning
• New Product/Brand Launches• Product/Service Repositioning• Media and Industry Analyst
Relations• Editor Desksides/Media Tours• Writing – Bylines, White Papers,
Press Releases• Online Press Kit Development• Executive Positioning and
Thought Leadership• Issues/Crisis Management
• Community Relations• Ethnic/Urban Marketing• Government Relations• Internal Communications• Contest and Sweepstakes• Publicity Driven Promotions
and Events• Sponsorships, Partnerships
and Cross-Promotions• Viral and Guerilla Marketing• Web 2.0/Social Media
Typical Public Relations Program Elements
Developing a Strategic Plan
Targeting
• Define the audience• Establish program targets
• Media • Bloggers• Industry influencers as appropriate
• Industry analysts• Academia• Association heads• Key consumers, etc.
Benchmarking
• Past program results • Research, if necessary
• Pre-program awareness/attitude audit for target media/bloggers and the user audience• Typically takes the form of an emailed
survey• Purchase a key publication subscriber
list for a near apples-to-apples comparison each year
Arming the Program
• Define the issues and pain points relevant to your audience
• Engage relevant internal groups for varied perspectives
• Market & competitive research• Consider third party market research• Identify supporting points that will make
the message timely• In context of the downturn
Audit and Align
• Audit sales and marketing materials and develop a situation analysis
• Work with key sales and marketing contacts to align PR with each and connect the two• Messaging• Priorities• Measurement
• Awareness?• Feature articles that can serve as
marketing and sales tools?• Articles where company is positioned
favorably against competition?• Sales lead tracking?
Developing the Plan
• Objectives and strategies – the importance of having consensus
• Messaging and Positioning• Host half-day messaging session with
key execs • Develop messaging presentation with
goals, rationale, competitor information and examples of good messaging to ground conversation
• Interactive activity• Deliverables
• Positioning statement• Messaging matrix
Basic Infrastructure
• Prioritized media and influencer target database • Editorial calendar database• Thought leadership database (awards, speaking
opportunities)• ProfNet and PRSourceCode • Corporate backgrounder for media purposes• Foundational media pitch
• Customize per specific outlet/opportunity • Audit existing content for potential repurposing
into bylined articles, case studies, blog posts, etc.
News Releases
• Develop a pipeline…new offerings, customer and award wins, contract extensions, upcoming speaking platforms, inclusion in strategic analyst reports, company milestones, thought leadership issues, etc.
• Elements of a news release• What’s the news?• What’s the trend?• Headline, sub head• Lead• Background in descending order of importance• Relevant research and quotes• Page, page and a half when possible • SEO
• A word on distribution
Media Relations
• Daily media monitoring infrastructure• Proactive pitching around issues• Media tours around significant news• Case studies – organizing the effort
• Top down commitment• Heads up to sales, arm them with case
study primer kit• Assign one point person for program• Create grid that tracks customer
interaction and level of referenceability• Tie in with CRM system if possible
Case Study
Blogger Relations
• Same relationship development but a slightly different pitch• “Listen” before you pitch • Engage bloggers creatively…product
testing, special launches or events• Create some excitement by breaking
significant news early to this group • Private companies only, of course
• Datamation’s List of Top 200 Tech Blogs• Segmented into Most Popular, Tech
Publications, Security, Enterprise Tech, etc.
Tapping the Blogosphere
BIG: • Identify and monitor relevant blogs to understand
opportunities• Review competition’s blogs to understand how they
are positioning themselves in the marketplace
BIGGER: • Pitch strategic bloggers to secure coverage and build
awareness• Respond to relevant blog postings (and industry
articles)• Track results
BIGGEST: • Create your own blog
• Goal: thought leadership, less direct promotion• Internal editorial calendar• Guest blogger series (customers, partners, influencers)• Keys are fresh content, regular and relevant updates,
pursuit of back links
Map key influencers according to:
Level of authority,Receptivity
and
Audience reach
Influencer Relations
• IT Analysts• Targeting• Bi-annual meetings• Maximizing contracts• Knowledge Capital Group
• Academia• Industry association heads/other experts
Thought LeadershipThought Leadership
• Executive positioning• Source Sheets
• White papers and bylined articles (leveraging existing material)
• Publicizing third party market research
• Speaking and award opportunities
Web 2.0/Social Media
• Website optimization• SEO• Content syndication• Audio and video podcasts
• Don’t do social media for social media’s sake
• Social media audit• Goal: identify relevant social networks• Where is your audience spending time?• Look back six months – where are
relevant conversations happening?• Engage industry analyst?
Social Media
• Create clear objectives and strategies• Get closer to your audience
by building platforms that invite them to get relevant information and share ideas• Corporate blog• LinkedIn Groups (customer forum)• Twitter• Facebook Fan page
• Bring content and tools to where conversations are already taking place
Social Media
• Establish YouTube Channel• Social leadership
• Build a profile by identifying and tagging relevant articles, videos, images, etc., using social media tools such as Digg, del.icio.us, Twitter, etc.
• Measure results via campaign dashboard, refine strategy
Social Media Dashboard/Tracking Site Traffic
Crisis CommunicationsCrisis Communications
• More important than ever to be prepared, particularly if there is any trouble on the horizon
• Long term goal: Put a comprehensive plan in place
• Plan for the most likely scenarios first• Layoffs• Missed earnings• Executive bonus scrutiny
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
• What’s your company’s cause?• Organize and promote it (as appropriate) if
you haven’t already• Do you have a take on green?
Our offer to you
• One-on-one consultations for interested members
• Casy Jones, 312-329-3976, [email protected]
Questions?