The Management Processes of Public Relations

1. The Management Processes of Public Relations The old “flying by the seat of the pants” approach to solving PR problems is over!

2. Four Step Problem Solving Process: • Defining the problem (or opportunity) • Planning and Programming • Taking Action and Communicating • Evaluating the Program

3. Defining the Problem (or Opportunity) • Process begins with intelligent diagnosis • Development of a Situational Analysis • Monitor the social environment • conduct thorough research

4. Research Process • methodical • systematic • foundation of all effective public relations • must understand situations and investigate consequences

5. Defining Problems • want to avoid firefighting and concentrate on fire prevention • example: much better to avoid spending millions of dollars on advertising to apologize for past actions and make corrective announcements • process begins with someone making the value judgment that something is either wrong or could soon be!

6. written in present tense, a problem statement describes the situation in specific and measurable terms. Details what is the source of concern? when is it a problem? who is involved or affected? how are they affected or involved? why is this of concern to the organization or its publics? Problem Statement

7. Situational Analysis • unabridged collection of all that is known about a situation, its history, forces operating on it, and those involved or affected internally or externally

8. Internal Situation Analysis • communication audit • complete analysis of an organization’s communications - internal and external - designed to take a picture of communication needs, policies practices, and capabilities to uncover necessary data to allow management to make informed, economical decisions about future objectives of the organization’s communications

9. External Situational Analysis • clippings from newspapers, magazines, trade publications • reports, transcripts, tapes of radio and tv coverage of events • background info on groups and individuals • results of surveys and opinion polls • copies of legislation, reference books

10. Research Process • Informal or Exploratory Methods • personal contacts • key informants - influential people (reporters, clergy, bankers, taxi drivers) • focus groups or community forums • Advisory Committees and Boards • Ombudsman - an individual who investigates and solves problems • call-in telephone lines/mail analysis

11. Formal Methods of Research • Secondary analysis and On-line Databases • Content analysis • systematic procedures for objectively determining what is being reported in the media • Surveys

12. Planning and Programming • Strategic Thinking leads to Strategic Management and Planning • Strategic Planning • making decisions about program goals and objectives, identifying key publics, setting policies or rules to guide selection of strategies and determining strategies

13. Key Steps to Planning and Programming • Mission Statements • help commit the organization to accountability • attitude sets the framework for budgeting, programs, impacts,etc. • MBO • Strategy and Tactics

14. Key Steps (cont’d) • Writing the Program • state the program goal • target the appropriate publics • state the objectives of the program

15. Working Theory- Program Goal • what do we want the two publics to learn from the program, what opinions should each hold after the program, what must each do to reach the goal • learn-feel-do causal sequence • info gain -> opinion change->behavioral change

16. Defining Target Publics • geographics • demographics • psychographics • covert power • position • reputation • membership

17. Program Objectives • Objectives spell out the key result that must be achieved with each public to reach the program goal • Give focus and direction to those developing strategies and tactics • spell out outcome criteria for use in monitoring and evaluation

18. Planning for Program Implementation • writing planning scenarios • anticipating disasters and crises • immediate crises • emerging crises • sustained crises

19. Common Mistakes in Handling Crises • hesitation • obfuscation • retaliation • pontification • confrontation • litigation

20. Example of Crisis Planning • Fire on the Luxury Liner Crystal Harmony • Company had developed a Crisis Communication Manual • trade, business news • shipboard, media, international

21. Taking Action and Communicating • Acting Responsibly and Responsively • University had declining enrollments amongst incoming freshmen • rumor was that freshmen had lowest registration priority • response - change priority and get the word out! • Classic Case: Tylenol Sabotage

22. Action Components • Alert Customers Nationwide • Stop Production • Establish Liaison with the Police • Recall Existing Capsules • Design New Package • Return Improved Product to the Market

23. Communication Strategy • to inform the internal. and external publics • persuade publics to support and accept action • instruct publics intend to turn intentions to actions

24. The Communication Component of Strategy • Framing the Message • Effective Communication must be designed for the situation, place and time • Advances in technology and specialized media are opening a wealth of possibilities • All PR problems have people as the common denominator and require communication to bring their viewpoints closer together

25. Implementing the Strategy • Credibility • Context • Content • Clarity • Continuity and Consistency • Channels • Capability of the audience