Public Relations Marketing - Suggested Goals & Objectives

Public Relations Marketing
Excerpt from On Target: The Book on Marketing Plans by Tim Berry and Doug Wilson

Public Relations PR, involves a variety of programs designed to maintain or enhance a company's image and the products and services it offers. Successful implementation of an effective PR strategy can be a critical component to a marketing plan.

A PR strategy may play a key role in an organization's promotional strategy. A planned approach to leveraging PR opportunities can be just as important as advertising and sales promotions. PR is one of the most effective methods to communicate and relate to the market. It is powerful and, once things are in motion, it is the most cost effective of all promotional activities. In some cases, it is free.

The success of well executed PR plans can be seen through several organizations that have made it a central focus of their promotional strategy. Paul Newman's Salad Dressing, The Body Shop, and Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream have positioned their organizations through effective PR strategies. Intel, Sprint and Microsoft have leveraged PR to introduce and promote new products and services.

Similar to the foundational goals of marketing, effective PR seeks to communicate information to:

• Launch new products and services.
• Reposition a product or service.
• Create or increase interest in a product, service, or brand.
• Influence specific target groups.
• Defend products or services that have suffered from negative press or perception.
• Enhance the firm's overall image.
• The result of an effective PR strategy is to generate additional revenue through greater awareness and information for the products and services an organization offers.

Goals and Objectives

Good strategy begins with identifying your goals and stating your objectives. What are the goals and objectives behind your PR strategy and can they be measured and quantified?

Each of these areas may reflect the goals your PR campaign may seek to accomplish.

Press relations
Communicating news and information of interest about organizations in the most positive light.

Product and service promotion
Sponsoring various efforts to publicize specific products or services.

Firm communications
Promoting a better and more attractive understanding of the organization with internal and external communications.

Lobbying
Communicating with key individuals to positively influence legislation and regulation.

Internal feedback
Advising decision makers within the organization regarding the public's perception and advising actions to be taken to change negative opinions.

Source: Articles on bplans.com

Don't let your public relations plan be a guessing game. Here's a hint: model your plan on those of the successful plans like Microsoft, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Sprite, Nike, etc. etc.