Last Friday, Colleen Moffitt and I had the opportunity to speak to the members of the Spokane MarCom Association about the importance of strategic public relations. The journey to Spokane was one we will never forget. We began our descent into the city only to have our landing aborted, turning us back to Seattle due to thick fog. Once back to SeaTac, we picked up our luggage and began the long drive. What we hoped would be a three-hour trip by plane, turned into 12 hours of travel.
Nonetheless, the journey was worth it. There were about 110 people in the audience, which comprised students, recent graduates, PR managers with nonprofits and corporations and agency PR practitioners. We spoke about taking a strategic approach to PR, why and how to do it, and reviewed each of the principles in our book, Strategic Public Relations: 10 Principles to Harness the Power of PR.
Our intention was to provide the attendees with some practical ideas and suggestions so that they could more fully leverage PR for their organizations.
When we got to Principle 5, which is “Develop a Strategic PR Plan,” we asked for a show of hands for the number of people who had developed and were using a plan to guide their activities. Approximately four people raised their hands. We then went on to explain that if there was just one point that we wanted them to take away from the session, it was an understanding of the importance of having a PR plan.
Colleen and I are huge proponents of the PR plan, because it ensures that everyone is moving in the same direction, helps you articulate business problems in a thoughtful manner, lets you showcase your creativity, and allows you to be proactive versus reactive. It also lets you move forward to build consensus, as well as gain approval of budgets and programs.
After reviewing the reasons to develop a plan, we then reviewed the eight key elements of a plan and the type of information that goes into to each section. For instance, in the situation-analysis section of a plan, you might want to do a SWOT analysis.
This was just a fraction of the content of our presentation. If you’d like a full copy of the PowerPoint with our speaking notes, please feel free to email me at [email protected]. However, for a more comprehensive perspective on each of the principles, our book Strategic Public Relations is going to be a much better resource for you.
Finally, as I reflect on our trip, I want to thank Sally Mildren, president-elect and programming chair with the Spokane Regional MarCom Association for helping us prepare for our discussion. She provided us with insightful counsel on the information that would be relevant to the members of the organization. Our only regret is that we did not make it to Spokane in time for dinner with her on Thursday evening!