Five steps to success - this industry best-practice model outlines five basic steps to the process of planning your PR.


Audit 

Key question: where are we now?

• The audit stage determines current awareness, perceptions and defines communications/PR issues: you should be looking at the group and its position in the marketplace, as well as the target audiences.
• Obviously the first time this is undertaken, benchmarking is a key issue, against which future activity can be measured.
• The PR brief should constructed, setting out theories and hypotheses. This brief should be refined through the period of the audit, assimilating research findings along the way.
• Some of this work may be undertaken by someone in the group (e.g. simple reviews of media coverage) while more sophisticated aspects may need to be subcontracted to an experienced PR specialist.

Objectives 

Key question: where do we want to be?

• SMART objectives are set:
  
  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Achievable
  • Resourced
  • Timed
• Target audiences/stakeholders are prioritised and agreed.
• Budget is agreed.
• Timescales are set.

Strategy and plan

Key question: how do we get there? 

• Key messages are written and agreed.
• A written document is produced encapsulating the strategy.
• Training is given if required (e.g. media training).
• Tactics are selected and crafted - this is the creative bit that most people go to first without doing steps 1 and 2.

Measurement and evaluation 

Key question: are we getting there?

• Measurement of each tactic should be agreed.
• Data collection throughout the activity period.
• Specialist media evaluation analysis.

Result 

Key question: did we do it?

• Compare final results with objectives.
• Analysis: lessons learnt, good and bad.
• Use findings to inform future planning.