Research is a natural starting point of any public relations assignment. Any public relations program should start with research. Instinct, intuition, and gut feeling are among the important point in the context of public relation. Nowadays, we have more demand on measurement, analysis, and evaluation. Research must be applied to help segment market targets, analyze audience preferences and dislikes, and determine which messages might be most effective with various audiences.
Defining research
Research is the systematic collection and interpretation of information to increase understanding. It has four principles
Establishing clear program objectives and desired outcomes tied directly to business goals.
Differentiating between measuring public relations “outputs” and measuring public relations “outcomes”
Measuring media content as a first step in public relations evaluation process.
Understanding that no one technique can be expected to evaluate public relations effectiveness.
Being wary of attempts to compare public relations effectiveness with advertising effectiveness.
The most trustworthy measurement of public relations effectiveness is that which stems from an organization with clearly identified key messages.
Types of Public relations research: research is conducted to do three things: describe a process or a situation, explain why something is happening, and predict possible actions
1. Applied Research: can be either strategic or evaluative
Strategic research is used primarily in program development to determine program objectives, develop message strategies, or establish benchmarks
Evaluative research or summative research is conducted primarily to determine whether a public relations program has accomplished its goals and objectives.
2. Theoretical Research
· This one is more abstract and conceptual than applied research. It helps build theories in public relations work about why people communicate, how public opinion is formed, and how a public is created. Communication is more persuasive when it comes from multiples sources of high credibility.
3. Secondary research
· Helps you read or examine from someone else’s primary research. Among the typical sources I will site:
Industry trade journal, government, informal contact, and census data
Methods of PR research
Public relations research is founded on, observations. Adding to this, we have three primary forms of public research which are
1. Surveys: designed to reveal attitudes and opinions. Surveys can be descriptive surveys: which offer a snapshot of a current situation or condition; in other words, they capture reality at a specific point in time.
2. Explanatory survey: these one are connected with cause and effect.
Surveys consist of four elements: sample, questionnaire, interviews, and analysis of results.
1. Sample: the selected target group must be representative of the population. Sample should have equality: meaning that no element has any greater or lesser chance of being selected. Adding to this, sample must be independent meaning that selecting any one element in no way influences the selection of any other element.
Sample is divided into: Simple random sample, systematic random sampling, and stratified random sampling, cluster sampling. While the nonrandom sampling has three elements: convenience samples, quota samples, and volunteer sample.
2. The Questionnaire
· The questionnaire must be short and structured.
· Avoid using fancy words and loaded questions.
· Test you questionnaire by the help of a classmate.
· Measure intensity or feeling
· Let the recipients know that they will remain anonymous.
3. Interviews: can provide a more personal, firsthand feel for public opinion. Interviews can be conducted in a number of ways: face to face, telephone, mail, and thanks to the internet.
4. Focus group: consist of 90 to 120 minutes discussion among eight to ten individuals. This one should be organized with the following guidelines in mind:
· Defining the objectives and the audience
· Recruiting the group
· Choosing the right moderator
· Conducting enough focus group
· Using a discussion guide
· Choosing proper facilities
· Consider using an outside help
Adding to the above, one can add more research tools which are: phone interviews, mail interviews, drop-off interviews, Delphi panels, and internet interviews.
Result Analysis
After selecting the sample, draw up the questions, now we must draw some analysis of the data we have to have some recommendations.
Communication Audit:
Communication audits are used to analyze the standing of a company with its employees or community neighbors, assess the readership of routine communication vehicles ,and examine the organization performance.
Audit Scope: The audit can measure the effectiveness of communication programs across the organization or the programs of a single division.
Audit Subject: offer information about topics like objectives and goals, communication programs…
Audit methodology: is a starightward analysis starting from the literature about the organization, competitiveness, and interviews with top managers, and recommendations.
Evaluation:
The evaluation depends on different things:
1. Setting measurable public relations program objectives
2. Securing management commitment
3. determining the best way to gather data
4. reporting back to management
5. selecting the most appropriate outcomes
Research and the web
Evaluate the web site, assess the impact of the web, select the right measurement tool, and draw actionable conclusions.
Friday, September 21, 2007
chapter 5 Management
Management Process of Public Relations
Professional public relations work emanates from clear strategies and bottom line objectives that flow into specific tactics each with its own budget, timetable, and resources. The professor James Grunig stated that public relations managers perform what organizational theorists call a boundary role. For instance, the PR manager has one foot inside the organization one foot outside the organization. PR managers have to think about: achievements, audience and goals.
2. Reporting to top Management
For the PR function to be valuable to management, it must remain independent, credible, and objective as an honest broker.
3. Conceptualizing the public relations plan
Practitioners must consider objectives and strategies, planning and budgets and research and finally evaluation.
1. Defining the problem or opportunity
2. Programming
3. Action
4. Evaluation
4. Creating the Public Relations Plan
The plan must be spelled out in writing:
Executive Summary
Communication process
Background
Situation analysis
Message statement
Audiences
Key audience message
Implementation
Budget
Monitoring and evaluation
5. Activating the public Relations Campaign
The plan specifies a series of what and how to get the work done
Background the problem
Preparing the proposal
Implementing the plan
Evaluating the campaign
6. Setting Public Relations Objectives
Strategies are the most crucial decisions of a public relations campaign.
Specification of the organization’s goals
Agree about achievable goal
Agree about objectives
Assess the program
7. Budgeting for Public Relations
After the identification of the different goals and objectives, the PR practitioners must detail the particular tactics that will help achieve those objectives.
8. Implementing Public Relations Program
The duties of PR practitioners are as divers as the public with whom different institutions deal. I will site some of them:
Media relations
Internal communication
Government relations and public affairs
Community relations
9. The public relations Department
There are two organizations structures: as a staff professional in a public relations department of a corporation, and as a line professional in a PR agency.
10. The public relation agency
The biggest difference between an external and internal agency is a perspective one. The first is outside looking in and the second is inside looking out.
11. Reputation Management
There is a special emphasis on reputation, organization can afford loosing a lot of money but can not afford loosing reputation
Professional public relations work emanates from clear strategies and bottom line objectives that flow into specific tactics each with its own budget, timetable, and resources. The professor James Grunig stated that public relations managers perform what organizational theorists call a boundary role. For instance, the PR manager has one foot inside the organization one foot outside the organization. PR managers have to think about: achievements, audience and goals.
2. Reporting to top Management
For the PR function to be valuable to management, it must remain independent, credible, and objective as an honest broker.
3. Conceptualizing the public relations plan
Practitioners must consider objectives and strategies, planning and budgets and research and finally evaluation.
1. Defining the problem or opportunity
2. Programming
3. Action
4. Evaluation
4. Creating the Public Relations Plan
The plan must be spelled out in writing:
Executive Summary
Communication process
Background
Situation analysis
Message statement
Audiences
Key audience message
Implementation
Budget
Monitoring and evaluation
5. Activating the public Relations Campaign
The plan specifies a series of what and how to get the work done
Background the problem
Preparing the proposal
Implementing the plan
Evaluating the campaign
6. Setting Public Relations Objectives
Strategies are the most crucial decisions of a public relations campaign.
Specification of the organization’s goals
Agree about achievable goal
Agree about objectives
Assess the program
7. Budgeting for Public Relations
After the identification of the different goals and objectives, the PR practitioners must detail the particular tactics that will help achieve those objectives.
8. Implementing Public Relations Program
The duties of PR practitioners are as divers as the public with whom different institutions deal. I will site some of them:
Media relations
Internal communication
Government relations and public affairs
Community relations
9. The public relations Department
There are two organizations structures: as a staff professional in a public relations department of a corporation, and as a line professional in a PR agency.
10. The public relation agency
The biggest difference between an external and internal agency is a perspective one. The first is outside looking in and the second is inside looking out.
11. Reputation Management
There is a special emphasis on reputation, organization can afford loosing a lot of money but can not afford loosing reputation
Chapter 3: Communication
Goals of COM:
To inform: or educate a particular public
To persuade: people to take actions
To motivate: pull for the team
To build mutual understanding: understanding of a group in opposition
Traditional theories:
· Two step flow theory: an organization would deliver a message to the mass media then the message would go to the great mass
· Concentric circle theory: ideas evolve gradually to the public at large. People accept ideas from leaders whose impact on public opinion may be greater than that of the mass media.
· SEMDR communication process: the communication process starts with the source, a message, receiver, encoding, and decoding the message
· Constructivism: knowledge is constructed not transmitted; therefore, it is important to have some knowledge of the receiver and his or her beliefs.
· Coordinated management of meaning is a theory of communication based on social interactions
· Grunig hunt public relations models:
1. press agency: a one way communication
2. public information: …. designed to inform and not to persuade
3. two way asymmetric: sophisticated two way communication that allows an organization to put out its information and to receive feedback from its publics about that information
4. two way symmetric: advocates free information flow
Receivers Bias:
How a receiver decodes the message received depends on his or her perception.
· Stereotypes: these ones play a crucial role in influencing the communication process.
· Symbols: can be used as effective persuasive elements
· Semantics: affected by knowing how to use words effectively to communicate desired meanings
Feedback:
This one may result in a change in attitudes b influencing the receivers to take some actions, or modify their point of view, or can result in no specific action
To inform: or educate a particular public
To persuade: people to take actions
To motivate: pull for the team
To build mutual understanding: understanding of a group in opposition
Traditional theories:
· Two step flow theory: an organization would deliver a message to the mass media then the message would go to the great mass
· Concentric circle theory: ideas evolve gradually to the public at large. People accept ideas from leaders whose impact on public opinion may be greater than that of the mass media.
· SEMDR communication process: the communication process starts with the source, a message, receiver, encoding, and decoding the message
· Constructivism: knowledge is constructed not transmitted; therefore, it is important to have some knowledge of the receiver and his or her beliefs.
· Coordinated management of meaning is a theory of communication based on social interactions
· Grunig hunt public relations models:
1. press agency: a one way communication
2. public information: …. designed to inform and not to persuade
3. two way asymmetric: sophisticated two way communication that allows an organization to put out its information and to receive feedback from its publics about that information
4. two way symmetric: advocates free information flow
Receivers Bias:
How a receiver decodes the message received depends on his or her perception.
· Stereotypes: these ones play a crucial role in influencing the communication process.
· Symbols: can be used as effective persuasive elements
· Semantics: affected by knowing how to use words effectively to communicate desired meanings
Feedback:
This one may result in a change in attitudes b influencing the receivers to take some actions, or modify their point of view, or can result in no specific action
Chapter 2: The Growth of Public Relations
Ancient Beginnings
Early American experience
3. Later American experience
· Into the 1800s
· Emergence of the Robber Barons
· Enter the Muckrakers
4. Ivy Lee: the real father of modern PR
5. The growth of modern public relations
· Government
· Counseling
· Corporations
6. Public relations comes of age
· Growth of large institutions
· Heightened public awareness and media sophistication
· Societal change, conflict, and confrontation
· Growing power of global media, public opinion, and democracy
· Dominance of the internet
7. Public relations education
Early American experience
3. Later American experience
· Into the 1800s
· Emergence of the Robber Barons
· Enter the Muckrakers
4. Ivy Lee: the real father of modern PR
5. The growth of modern public relations
· Government
· Counseling
· Corporations
6. Public relations comes of age
· Growth of large institutions
· Heightened public awareness and media sophistication
· Societal change, conflict, and confrontation
· Growing power of global media, public opinion, and democracy
· Dominance of the internet
7. Public relations education
What is Public Relations, Anyway?
Five trends are related to the evolution of Public Relation
Growth of institutions
Increasing incidence of change and conflict in society.
Sophistication of people worldwide as a result of technological innovations in communication
Growing power of Public Relation in the new century
Exponential grow of internet based COM tools including social software
Definition of Public Relation
PR is a planned process to influence public opinion, through sound character and proper performance based on mutually satisfactory two ways COM
The process by which PR may influence PO
John Marston identifies four ways
Research: attitudes about the issue at hand
Action: identify action of the client in the public interest
Communication: to gain understanding, acceptance, and support
Evaluation: to evaluate the COM to see if opinion has been influenced.
Public Relations as Management Interpreter
They interpret the philosophies, policies, programs, and practices of their management to the public. On the other hand, they must convey the attitudes of the public to their management
The Publics of Public Relations:
Practitioners have to communicate with different publics: the publics can be divided into the following categories:
· Internal and external the first in an organization can be managers, supervisors, and clerks. External ones are customers, and the community.
· Primary, secondary, and marginal
· Traditional and Future
· Proponents, opponents, and the uncommitted
The Functions of Public Relations
· Writing which is the fundamental PR skill
· Media relations
· Planning special events and media events
· Counseling deals with management and its interactions
· Researching of attitudes and opinions
· Publicity to generate positive attitude to the client
· Marketing communication for instance creating brochures.
· Community relations
· Consumer relations
· Employee relations
· Government affairs, deal with legislators and regulations
· Investor relations, communicate with stockholders.
· Special publics relations
· Publics affairs and issues management,
· Website development, the organization principle interface with the public
The Spin
Spin signifies the distinctive interpretation of an issue or action to sway public opinion.
Growth of institutions
Increasing incidence of change and conflict in society.
Sophistication of people worldwide as a result of technological innovations in communication
Growing power of Public Relation in the new century
Exponential grow of internet based COM tools including social software
Definition of Public Relation
PR is a planned process to influence public opinion, through sound character and proper performance based on mutually satisfactory two ways COM
The process by which PR may influence PO
John Marston identifies four ways
Research: attitudes about the issue at hand
Action: identify action of the client in the public interest
Communication: to gain understanding, acceptance, and support
Evaluation: to evaluate the COM to see if opinion has been influenced.
Public Relations as Management Interpreter
They interpret the philosophies, policies, programs, and practices of their management to the public. On the other hand, they must convey the attitudes of the public to their management
The Publics of Public Relations:
Practitioners have to communicate with different publics: the publics can be divided into the following categories:
· Internal and external the first in an organization can be managers, supervisors, and clerks. External ones are customers, and the community.
· Primary, secondary, and marginal
· Traditional and Future
· Proponents, opponents, and the uncommitted
The Functions of Public Relations
· Writing which is the fundamental PR skill
· Media relations
· Planning special events and media events
· Counseling deals with management and its interactions
· Researching of attitudes and opinions
· Publicity to generate positive attitude to the client
· Marketing communication for instance creating brochures.
· Community relations
· Consumer relations
· Employee relations
· Government affairs, deal with legislators and regulations
· Investor relations, communicate with stockholders.
· Special publics relations
· Publics affairs and issues management,
· Website development, the organization principle interface with the public
The Spin
Spin signifies the distinctive interpretation of an issue or action to sway public opinion.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Defining Public Opinion
Public Opinion can be defined as the following: public is a group of people sharing a common interest on a particular subject. Opinion is the expression of an attitude on a particular topic.
Defining Public Relations
Public Relations is a planned process to influence poeples' opinion, through sound character and proper performance based on mutually satisfactory two -way communication
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