CampaignsLecture #17

List 5 components that you know must be included in a public relations campaign?

In Class Assignment #10

All campaigns must begin with research.

A successful public relations campaign integrates demographic and psychographic information, audience profiles, the company’s business philosophy, the company’s marketing plan, the budget, and other data that result in an improved image for the company.

Campaigns

All successful campaigns have a strategy, planning, implementation, and measuring of results.

Campaigns

The first step in any campaign is to do the planning.

Establish goals. Courses of Action. Funding. Research. Defining a system of measurements (in

retail it is often sales).

Planning

The planning procedures should include:◦ Establishing goals and objects◦ Defining the target markets◦ Setting a budget◦ Assigning personnel and responsibilities,

functions, duties.◦ Scheduling.◦ Developing the message.◦ Determining methods of delivering the message.◦ Determining a method(s) of measuring

performance.

Planning

Based on the PR and marketing needs of the organizations.

It could be to raise awareness about a brand, launch a new product or collection, become involved in the community or start a social responsibility initiative.

These needs change according to the circumstances in which the company is operating.

They determine the PR goals for the campaign. It is critical that PR campaign goals are set in

coordination with other initiatives within the company.

1. Establish Goals

A summery statement that states what needs to be done in broad terms as part of the campaign.

It includes the objectives for a specific time and all the activities that are to be completed to achieve the PR campaign goals.

Although the executive summary/overview is typically the first thing to be seen in a PR campaign, it must be created after all the pieces of the campaign are put together.

It serves as a map.

2. Create an Overview

Lists each initiative that is taken.

Includes the steps that should be taken so specific directives can be implemented.

Includes a SWOT analysis, the design of the plan, and how it will be put together to prepare it for development.

3. Establish a Detailed Plan

Did the organizations receive the minimum media coverage to gain a positive ROI?

Was the media coverage positive? Did the coverage improve the public image? Did the company receive positive feedback from its

publics? Did it receive positive feedback from other people of

interest?

The PR director must identify the results expected from the campaign so that efforts can be made toward achieving that end. Results can be measure during and at the end of the campaign.

4. Define Preferred Results as a Part of Reaching the Goals

Make sure you have gathered accurate information for the PR campaign.

PR relies heavily on research and data gathering in the background.

Topics of research vary depending on the circumstances, scenarios, and campaigns.

Researching how to launch a new collection is very different than researching how to improve public opinion.

Must look at what competitors are doing so that campaigns can be set apart.

5. Determine Required Research for Proper Planning

Define the target markets and audiences that the campaign aims to reach.◦ Countries, regions, states, cities

Identify audiences groups, their demographics, psychographics, profiles, purchasing habits.

Knowing your audiences allows for proper guidance of planning toward the strategies and methods that reach the audiences with the appropriate messages.

6. Determine Target Markets and Audiences.

Always have a campaign calendar that lets you see campaign activities day-by-day, week-by-week, and some instances, month-by-month.

One of the most popular responses from the media is that they are on deadline. Therefore, it is important to have a schedule that also works with important media deadlines.

Wasting time is more expensive than wasting money.

7. Define the Timeline For Implementing the Campaign

Establish a start and end date. It is important to allot the time needed for a

campaign. Audit or review your timeline frequently to

make adjustments. Establish objectives along the way

◦ Have 25% increase in sales by the third week of month three.

◦ Sell at least 75% of fashion show tickets two week before the show.

◦ Receive press coverage the first week the campaign is launched.

7. Define the Timeline For Implementing the Campaign--Continued

The SWOT analysis helps an organization determine the products position before it launches it.

Strengths- What are you doing that competitors aren’t?

Weaknesses- What are competitors doing that you lack?

Opportunities- Where does your organization have the means of going, but just aren’t there yet? (This is where your campaign should start).

Threats- What is going to become a problem that might result in a lack of sales or public opinion? Knowing your weaknesses can also help maneuver in the media.

8. SWOT Analysis

Measuring increased exposure, improved public image, better community relations generated by the campaign.

If results surpass expectations then the outlook and future performance may excel as well.

When media coverage and increased public image are free publicity, the company has virtually no say on what gets printed.

With that said, the media seldom focuses on an organization’s negative side without reason.

9. Consider Positive and Negative Outcomes.

The PR campaign should have an overall message that unifies all of the public relations initiatives within the campaign.

The message is based on the goals of the campaign as well as the product/service being promoted.

10. Identify the Public Relations Message– What Do We Want To

Say In The Message?

The total annual PR budget is set by executives and often comes out of the marketing budget.

If there are no funds to cover something, then it will not be implemented.

In the ideal world, each action in the campaign must be outlined and estimated in terms of cost, and the total costs of must be managed so that the final bill fits within the budget.

11. Establish the Budget

Choosing the right public relations method or methods of implementing the campaign is an extremely important part of proper campaign planning.◦ Tactics- Press releases, social media uses, word-

of-mouth, promotional ideas, interviews, celebrity appearances, trade journals, partnering websites, themes, and colors.

◦ Anything that helps convey the message(s) of the campaign.

12. Determine the Methods of Reaching the Goals

The client, the PR writer, the pitch person, and the people in the media whom the material is aimed.

If these people don’t have the right attitude, the right understanding, the right understanding of their job responsibilities, and are uncommitted, the campaign will fail.

13. Choose Who Will Implement the Campaign

Decide on which media will be best to deliver the messages and providing for most positive public exposure.

If your campaign runs several months, then you will have time to get in contact with media who work on stories a month or so in advance.

Newspapers, television, and internet typically require a framework that is closer to the event.

14. Determine How to Deliver the Message

Results and ROI are among the top goals for the PR campaign.

Everyone wants the most results for the least amount of money.

Again, sales are often the highest indicator of performance in fashion/retail.

Could be measured in favorable publicity, new customers, increase in customer contacts, increase in traffic to a website.

15. Determine How to Measure Performance

Budgeting is a critical business tool to control expenses and ensure profitability.

Whether they are annual, semi-annual, or quarterly—are part of the planning process. That assures proper funding.

Budgets ultimately set of the rules for what can or cannot be achieved.

Budgeting

One of the major issues with fashion organizations is determining how much should be allocated to PR budgets, when there are no guarantees regarding the end result.

Public relations budgets often come from the marketing department.

There can never be a guarantee that public relations stories will be accepted by the media.

Budgeting

Sales Percentage- the budget is based on a percentage for sales from the previous year.

Depends on how the organization views the PR for a product.

The trend with some fashion organizations is to put more of an emphasis on PR than advertising because it is more effective in getting the fashion organization’s message out.

During a rough economy when sales are down, a smaller dollar amount is allocated to PR.

Budgeting by Sales Percentage

Cash-Flow Percentage: base their budgeted items on the amount of profits for a period of time such as quarterly or three months.

Same issue with sales percentage budgeting, smaller $ amount when sales are low.

Budget By Cash-Flow Percentage

Competition Analysis: determined through research the type of public relations exposure the fashion company’s competitors are allocating and match or exceed it in the budget.

Budgeting by Competition Analysis

Bottom-Up Budgeting: the PR director creates the budget based on the department’s strategies, goals, and objectives and proposes it to upper-level management for approval.

Should include a timeline for the activities and targeted media.

When a plan is accepted by management, the PR professional has a higher obligation to perform and the task weighs on their shoulders.

Budgeting for Internal Staff

Top-Down Budgeting: upper-level management decides on the PR budget and hands it down to lower management with little or no flexibility allowed for the public relations director.

Does not include in the decision-making process the people who will have to carryout the function.

Budgeting for Internal Staff

Top-Down/Bottom-Up Budgeting: combines both of these procedures.

This is the preferred budgeting process.

Budgeting for Internal Staff

Most PR firms prefer to work with a yearly contract.

Budgets can also be based on a monthly bases, hourly bases, or even project based.

When a firm charges an hourly performance or hourly payment they usually include regular reports detailing the total amount of hours performed for the client each week or each month.

Budgeting For An Outside Public Relations Firm

It is important to know what exactly the firm includes and excludes in its services.

Some firms charge for telephone calls, courier packages, and postage expenses.

Invoices are usually submitted at the end of the month and paid within 15, 30, or 60 days according to what the contract says.

Budgeting for an Outside Firm

Rates vary from one firm to the next depending on experience, prestige, and talent. $50 -350 per hour.

Most firms work on contract devoting a minimum or 24hrs per month to the client.

They will also bill the client for all expenses including postage, photographs, long-distance phone calls, UPS and FedEx charges, telephone consulting time.

It is important to layout all charges the client could be faced with upfront and provide a detailed budget for the client each month regarding the expenses for the client when working in an outside firm.

Budgeting for an Outside Firm

There are also project-based contracts with a specific fee.

Not very popular with public relations firms. Most firms want to make lasting

relationships with the fashion organization, project-based contracts don’t allow firms to do that.

Project-based contracts are often very expensive, sometimes more expensive than the ROI.

Budgeting for an Outside Firm

Evaluating your budgets will help shape future budget plans.

Helps determine if there is a need for increased funding to accomplish goals.

If the goals are being achieved, it helps decide if more funds should be allocated to the PR budget to maximize the results.

Evaluating the Budget

A campaign must follow a strict timeline which includes time for readjustments.

All successful campaigns begin with researching and setting a budget.

Your budget ultimately states what you can and cannot achieve.

The preferred type of budget for PR professionals is top-down/bottom-up.

You must evaluated your campaign throughout the entire process and at the end of the campaign.

Final Thoughts

Sherman, G.J. & Perlman, S.S. (2010). Fashion Public Relations. Fairchild Books: New York.

References