By Ronald D. Smith
Third Edition. 2009. Routledge/Taylor & Francis
By Ronald D. Smith
Third Edition. 2009. Routledge/Taylor & Francis
Strategic Planning for Public Relations is a textbook for college and university students and a self-study guide for practitioners.
Introduction deals with principles of strategic planning for public relations and other situations involving integrated communication. The introduction provides an overview of a four phase, nine step planning process.
Phase One: Formative Research
Step 1: Analyzing the Situation
deals with the public relations situation, issues management and ethical issues.Step 2: Analyzing the Organization
focuses on both internal and external environment, and public perception of an organization.Step 3: Analyzing the Publics
provides information on the nature of publics and their relationship to markets and audiences. It also deals with ways to identify and analyze publics, stages of development, and presentation of a benefit statement rooted in the wants, interests and needs of key publics.
Phase Two: Strategy
Step 4: Establishing Goals and Objectives
deals with the nature of goals, positioning statements and objectives, with particular emphasis on writing objectives that are specific and measurable.Step 5: Formulating Action and Response Strategies
presents typologies of both proactive and reactive public relations strategies.Step 6: Developing Strategic Messages
focuses on the communication and persuasion process, issues of source credibility and selection of effective spokespersons, appeals to both reason and emotion, and the use of verbal and nonverbal communication.
Phase Three: Tactics
Step 7: Selecting Communication Tactics
deals with various categories of tactics, including interpersonal communication techniques, organizational (internal/controlled) media, news media, and advertising/promotional media. It also focuses on packaging communication tactics creatively.Step 8: Implementing the Strategic Plan
focuses on the written plan, schedule and budget.
Phase Four: Evaluative Research
Step 9: Evaluating the Strategic Plan
deals with research design, timing, and methodology.
Appendix: Applied Research Techniques
provides a background
primer on applied research, including research ethics, sampling, secondary
research, interviewing, focus groups, case studies, surveying, and content
analysis.
Appendix: Ethical Standards
presents ethical codes and
guidelines from the Public Relations Society of America, the Canadian Public
Relations Society, and the International Public Relations Association.
Appendix: Sample Campaigns
provides annotated examples of
aware-winning public relations campaigns.
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