制定可测量公关目标的指南（英文版）.pdf

3651357836593836513578365938365135783659383651 3578365938365135783659383651357836593848975296 8462762467863853275680178237859365879632845673 4853846589346574785637865387465487365783468347 6587465875687346583756385698376583756783265823 5683474658376583657346587346384648373683747348 5384658934657478563786538746548736578346834765 8746587568734658375638569837658375678326582356 8347465837658365734658734638464837368383265823 5683474658376583657346587346384648373683747348 3265823568347465837658365734658734638464837368 3747348326582356834746583765836573465873463846 4837368374734832658235683474658376583657346587 3463846483736837473483265823568347465837658365 7346587346384648373683747348326582356834746583 7658365734658734638464837368374734832658235683 4746583765836573465873463846483736837473483265 8235683474658376583657346587346384648373683747 3483265823568347465837658365734658734638464837 3683747348326582356834746583765836573465873463 8464837368374734832658235683474658376583657346 5873463846483736837473474658376583657346587346 3846483736837473483265823568 GUIDELINES for Setting Measurable PR Objectives by Mark Weiner, CEO of PRIME Research with contributions from Forrest W. Anderson, and Linda Hadley, David Rockland3651357836593836513578365938365135783659383651 3578365938365135783659383651357836593848975296 8462762467863853275680178237859365879632845673 4853846589346574785637865387465487365783468347 6587465875687346583756385698376583756783265823 About the Institute: The Institute for Public Relations is an independent nonprofit foundation dedicated to the science beneath the art of public relations. The organization focuses on research that provides timely insights and applied intelligence for professionals to put to immediate use. Contributing Research Areas and Commissions include the IPR Measurement Commission, the Coalition for Public Relations Research Standards, the Commission on Organizational Communication and the IPR Social Media Research Center. About PRIME: Combining talent, tools and technology, PRIME Research delivers award-winning global strategic communications monitoring, measurement, evaluation and analysis across social, digital and traditional media channels; sophisticated ROI statistical modeling; research-based PR consulting; and real-time/fully-integrated advanced analytics. With offices in North and South America, Europe and Asia, PRIMEs team of 500 consultants and analysts gather, filter, translate and report on media trends across 63 countries. Established in 1987 in Mainz, Germany by Dr. Rainer Matheswho continues to lead the companyPRIMEs client experience spans all of the Fortune categories, plus government agencies, NGOs and non-profits. PRIME combines the speed and consistency of real-time technology with the accuracy, actionable insights and strategic guidance available only through human expertise. Based on real-time media trends across all forms of media, PRIME makes a simple promise to deliver a comprehensive and customizable approach to enable better communications and business decisions the science beneath the art of public relations 36513578365938365135783659383651357836593836513578 3659383651357836593836513578365938489752968462762 4678638532756801782378593658796328456734853846589 34657478563786538746548736578346834765874658756873 46583756385698376583756783265823568347465837658365 73465873463846483736837473485384658934657478563786 53874654873657834683476587465875687346583756385698 37658375678326582356834746583765836573465873463846 48373683832658235683474658376583657346587346384648 37368374734832658235683474658376583657346587346384 Guidelines for Setting Mea- surable Introduction Why Set Measurable Public Relations Objectives? How to Set Proper Public Relations Objectives I: Linking PR Objectives to Organizational Objectives Make Them Meaningful II: Objectives which are Openly Negotiated Become More Reasonable III: Detailing Specifics: Make Objectives Quantifiable A Worksheet for Setting Measurable Public Relations Objectives: STEP 1 - Review Past Performance A Worksheet for Setting Measurable Public Relations Objectives: STEP 2: Write Objectives A Worksheet for Setting Measurable Public Relations Objectives: Check-List In Conclusion About the Authors 04 05 06 06 08 08 10 12 13 14 14 TABLE OF CONTENTS by Mark Weiner, CEO of PRIME Research with contributions from Forrest W. Anderson, Linda Hadley and David Rockland4 In every business case whether the organization is large or small; for-profit or nonprofit; local or global there is an objective. Objectives may include generating a profit, approving legislation or giving back to the community. To advance the organization, those doing so need a clear understanding of the organizations aims. This is true for the public relations (PR) team and its agencies: The purpose of every public relations professional is to help his or her organization achieve its business objectives. An effective public relations program is rooted in research which is used to set objectives, develop strategy and design tactics, and to evaluate performance. The research foundation continues to be applied as one moves to program execution and concludes with the research-based evaluation needed to assess the extent to which the program met or exceeded the original research-based objectives. For the purposes of this paper, we focus on campaign (or program) objective-setting and strategy development, primarily in a business setting. While each component of the public relations process is essential for success, the initial stage of objectives-setting research is the basis for the entire PR program. It provides a framework for strategy, execution, and evaluation. And, while setting measurable objectives is critical to public relations programming, it also is among the most frequently overlooked. INTRODUCTIONGuidelines for Setting Measurable Public Relations Objectives 5 Why Set Measurable Public Relations Objectives? Here are six reasons for setting clear, concise and measurable objectives in public relations: Objectives create a structure for prioritization: Once your aim is clear, the focus and sequence of your strategy and tactics are clear. Objectives reduce the potential for disputes before, during, and after the program: If everyone agrees in advance on the objectives, it is less likely anyone will challenge the programs priorities and results. Objectives focus resources to drive performance and efficiency: A clear and shared sense of purpose distills program tactics and focuses financial and human resources on those areas on which they have the greatest impact. Objectives help create successful programs by identifying areas for prescriptive change and continual improvement. Over time, tracking performance against properly set objectives allows for corrective action, or positive adjustments. Objectives set the stage for evaluation by making it easier for sponsors and team-members to determine if the PR program met or exceeded expectations. Once those who are underwriting the PR investment understand and authorize measurable objectives, there can be no doubt as to whether the program met or fell short of the desired outcome at conclusion. Objectives link the PR objective to the business objective. Proper PR objectives are derived from the organizations business objectives. This makes the business case for the PR program. For example investing significant resources towards the promotion of “product A” when the companys future is pinned to the success of “product B” is not in alignment. However, if the PR objectives in support of “product B” are met or exceeded, the link between PR and the overall success of the business is much more tangible, especially among senior executives. Just as the implementation of measurable PR objectives brings many benefits, their absence brings considerable risk, not the least of which is the potential for lack of understanding among executives and other team-members; loss of efficiency and dearth of resources. Guidelines for Setting Measurable Public Relations Objectives 6 How to Set Proper Public Relations Objectives PR objectives should be meaningful, reasonable and quantifiable. While the focus of this paper is on “measurable” objectives, it is just as important for objectives to matter and to be within reach. In setting proper objectives, it is important to understand three widely-accepted results of public relations activity: outputs, outcomes and business results. However, it is not always necessary to set objectives for every type of result, only for those metrics relevant to a specific project or activity. Outputs: The results, often in the form of media coverage, coming from PR activities such as press releases, special events, collateral material, Web sites and other channels. Outcomes: Outcomes are recognized widely in the form of awareness, understanding, attitudes, preference and behavior. Outcomes are achieved as a result of outputs. Business results: Business results are commonly recognized as effects that make a direct contribution toward the organizations goals and objectives such as increased sales, lowered costs or a higher stock price. They relate to what happens as a result of outputs and outcomes. This lexicon is one of several used by PR professionals and is recommended here due to its simplicity. However, with simplicity also comes a lesser degree of precision. For more information on this subject of metrics see the following papers on the IPR website. I: Linking PR Objectives to Organizational Objectives Make Them Meaningful One of the professions most vexing challenges is “proving the value of public relations.” An example of a reasonable, meaningful and quantifiable value measure is “meeting or exceeding objectives” to which management and the PR team have agreed in advance. However, it is reasonable to expect that managements goals for the organization will be more specific in terms of actual business performance. As such, obtaining a clear understanding of your organizations business or performance goals is the first step in setting measurable objectives. And yet, as important as this step is, it is often omitted. When management asks what returns are generated from its investment in public relations, they are asking for evidence that communications activities have helped achieve business goals. Without a clear understanding, and in the absence of authorization from top management, the likelihood for success is greatly diminished, relying on luck rather than acumen. Business goals might include: Increasing business performance, often measured in terms of sales, market-share, stock-price, earnings per share, etc. Optimizing the use of labor and capital, for example through increased productivity, greater efficiency or employee retention Avoiding catastrophic loss by, for example, mitigating a crisis, averting calamitous reputation damage or protecting market capitalization Guidelines for Setting Measurable Public Relations Objectives 7 How are these overarching business goals translated to outcomes that can reasonably be expected to be affected through and by public relations? In the ideal world, senior PR leadership has a “seat the table” beside other top executives, helping to pilot the organization. However, in many organizations, PR has not yet achieved this level of influence. In any case, it is important to ensure in advance that public relations objectives are aligned with the business objectives. This alignment occurs at all three levels. First, PR department objectives are aligned with enterprise objectives in the organizations planning document, be it a strategic plan or a scorecard. Second, PR function objectives are aligned with those of other business units in the organization, such as employee relations with HR, customer relations with marketing and various business/operational units or investor relations with Finance. Third, PR campaign or program objectives need to be aligned with the program objectives of HR, Marketing or Finance. Before creating your public relations objectives, you need to articulate the business objectives and use them as a guide. Remember, while organizations set deliberate plans for a year or say three years, these plans and their resulting objectives and strategies change in the period of the plan. Begin the public relations objectives-setting process by conducting as much internal research as you can to clarify and state your organizations business objectives: annual reports, business plans, and business-strategy documents can be very helpful. Ensure that you have both the original plan as well as any change in objectives and strategies that emerged over the life of the plan. Dont just look at the current plan, Examine plans from years past to understand how the enterprise has evolved. To ensure PR objectives are linked to business objectives, we recommend one-on-one sessions with those executives who invest in or who evaluate PR programming. Questions might include: What is management trying to achieve and what will help or hinder our success, from an overall- business perspective? Who do you consider to be our priority stakeholders? What themes would the organization like to communicate to our key stakeholders? What response would management like from target stakeholders? How does management think PR programs can help achieve these goals? What does success look like? To what degree is this success “meaningful, reasonable and measurable?” How can we link success to objectives that are “meaningful, reasonable and measurable?” What is the optimal time-frame for completing these goals? What barriers has the organization or any of its units faced in the past that stood in the way of meeting the objectives that were set? What are our key competitors doing and how are we different? Answers to these questions will help identify business goals and guide PR efforts in the most productive directions. It is often helpful to the PR practitioner to have anticipated possible answers and offer suggestions for each question. For example, if the public relations measurement includes data supporting the extent to which the organizations key themes were communicated and the degree to which they resonated among the target audience, this would link to business objectives even if the delivery or retention of these themes could not be quantifiably connected to a rise in share price, sales, funding or contributions. Guidelines for Setting Measurable Public Relations Objectives 8 II: Objectives which are Openly Negotiated Become More Reasonable For public relations to be effective, everyone within the public relations objectives-setting process must be realistic abou