Strategic Planning for Public Relations

Strategic Planning

Public Relations

for

This page intentionally left blank

Strategic Planning

for

Public Relations

Second Edition

Ronald D. Smith, APR

Buffalo State College

LAWRENCE ERLBAUM ASSOCIATES, PUBLISHERS

2005 Mahwah, New Jersey London

Senior Acquisitions Editor: Linda Bathgate

Assistant Editor: Karin Wittig Bates

Cover Design: Kathryn Houghtaling Lacey

Textbook Production Manager: Paul Smolensk!

Full-Service Compositor: TechBooks

Text and Cover Printer: Hamilton Printing Company

This book was typeset in 10/12 pt. Times, Italic, Bold, Bold Italic. The heads were

typeset in ACaslon Regular, ACaslon Bold, ACaslon Italic, and ACaslon Bold Italic.

Copyright © 2005 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

All right reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in

any form, by photostat, microform, retrieval system, or any

other means, without prior written permission of the publisher.

Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers

10 Industrial Avenue

Mahwah, New Jersey 07430

www.erlbaum.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Smith, Ronald D., 1948-

Strategic planning for public relations/Ronald D. Smith.- 2nd ed.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 0-8058-5239-5 (pbk.: alk. paper)

1. Public relations. I. Title.

HM1221.S77 2004 2004014291

659.2-dc22

Books published by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates are printed on

acid-free paper, and their bindings are chosen for strength and durability.

Printed in the United States of America

1 0 98765432 1

Brief Contents

Introduction

Phase One

FORMATIVE RESEARCH

Phase Two

STRATEGY

15

Step 1

Analyzing the Situation 17

Step 2

Analyzing the Organization 29

StepS

Analyzing the Publics 42

67

Step 4

Establishing Goals and Objectives 69

StepS

Formulating Action and Response

Strategies 82

Step 6

Using Effective Communication 117

Phase Three

TACTICS 155

Step?

Choosing Communication Tactics 157

StepS

Implementing the Strategic Plan 217

Phase Four

EVALUATIVE RESEARCH 235

Step 9

Evaluating the Strategic Plan 237

1

v

This page intentionally left blank

Contents

Introduction

Strategic Communication 2

Integrated Communication 4

Advertising as a Tool for Integrated

Communication 7

Nine Steps of Strategic Public Relations 9

Formative Research 11

Strategy 12

Tactics 12

Evaluative Research 13

Effective Creativity 13

Phase One

FORMATIVE RESEARCH 15

Step 1

Analyzing the Situation 17

Public Relations Situation 17

Issues Management 21

Risk Management 22

Crisis Management 22

Public Relations and Ethics 25

Strategic Planning Example: Analyzing the

Situation 26

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the

Situation 26

Step 2

Analyzing the Organization 29

Internal Environment 29

Performance 30

Niche 30

Structure 31

Internal Impediments 31

Public Perception 31

Visibility 31

Reputation 31

External Environment 32

Supporters 32

Competitors 32

Opponents 33

External Impediments 34

Strategic Planning Example: Analyzing the

Organization 35

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the

Internal Environment 36

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing Public

Perception 38

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing the

External Environment 40

Step 3

Analyzing the Publics 42

What Is a Public? 42

Publics, Markets and Audiences 42

Characteristics of a Public 44

Identifying Publics 45

Four Categories of Publics 45

Key Publics 48

Intercessory Publics and

Opinion Leaders 48

Selecting Key Publics 50

Strategic Planning Example:

Identifying Publics 50

Strategic Planning Exercise:

Identifying Publics 51

Analyzing Key Publics 53

Stages of Development 53

Key Characteristics 55

Stereotypes 57

Rethinking Your Publics 60

Benefit Statement 61

Strategic Planning Example: Analyzing

Key Publics 61

1

VII

Contents

Strategic Planning Exercise: Analyzing

Key Publics 63

Phase Two

STRATEGY 67

Step 4

Establishing Goals and Objectives 69

Goals 69

Positioning 70

Objectives 72

Standards for Objectives 73

Hierarchy of Objectives 74

Writing Public Relations Objectives 77

Strategic Planning Example: Establishing Goals

and Objectives 79

Strategic Planning Exercise: Establishing Goals

and Objectives 80

Step 5

Formulating Action and

Response Strategies 82

Proactive Public Relations Strategies 82

Action Strategies 83

Communication Strategies 94

Reactive Public Relations Strategies 100

Pre-emptive Action Strategy 101

Offensive Response Strategies 102

Defensive Response Strategies 104

Diversionary Response Strategies 106

Vocal Commiseration Strategies 107

Rectifying Behavior Strategies 111

Strategic Inaction 113

Strategic Planning Example: Formulating

Action and Response Strategies 114

Strategic Planning Exercise: Formulating

Action and Response Strategies 115

Step 6

Using Effective Communication 117

Communication Processes 117

Information 117

Persuasion 119

Dialogue 120

Rhetorical Tradition 121

Ethos: Convincing Communicators 122

Credibility 123

Charisma 125

Control 126

Identifying Organizational

Spokespeople 126

Strategic Planning Example: Identifying

Message Sources 129

Strategic Planning Exercise: Identifying

Message Sources 130

Logos: Appealing to Reason 131

Proposition 131

Verbal Evidence 132

Visual Supporting Evidence 133

Avoiding Errors of Logic 133

Misuse of Statistics 133

Pathos: Appealing to Sentiment 135

Positive Emotional Appeals 135

Negative Emotional Appeals 138

Strategic Planning Example: Determining

Message Appeals 140

Strategic Planning Exercise: Determining

Message Appeals 141

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication 142

Verbal Communication 142

Nonverbal Communication 149

Strategic Planning Example: Planning Verbal/

Nonverbal Communication 152

Strategic Planning Exercise: Planning Verbal/

Nonverbal Communication 153

Phase Three

TACTICS 155

Step 7

Choosing Communication Tactics 157

Conventional Communication Categories 157

VIII

Contents

Strategic Communication Categories 158

Interpersonal Communication Techniques 160

The Strategy of Interpersonal

Communication Tactics 160

Personal Involvement 162

Information Exchange 163

Special Events 165

Strategic Planning Example: Choosing

Interpersonal Communication Tactics 169

Strategic Planning Exercise: Choosing

Interpersonal Communication Tactics 169

Organizational Media Tactics 171

The Strategy of Organizational

Media Tactics 171

General Publications 172

Direct Mail 175

Miscellaneous Print Media 176

Audiovisual Media 177

Strategic Planning Example: Choosing

Organizational Media Tactics 179

Strategic Planning Exercise: Choosing

Organizational Media Tactics 179

News Media Tactics 181

The Strategy of News Media Tactics 181

Newspapers 184

Magazines 186

Radio 187

Television 188

Serving Media Information Needs 189

Direct News Material 191

Indirect News Material 195

Opinion Material 196

Interactive News Opportunities 197

Strategic Planning Example: Choosing News

Media Tactics 199

Strategic Planning Exercise: Choosing News

Media Tactics 199

Advertising and Promotional Media Tactics 200

The Strategy of Advertising and Promotional

Media Tactics 201

Print Advertising Media 202

Electronic Media Advertising 203

Out-of-Home Advertising 207

Promotional Items 209

Strategic Planning Example: Choosing

Advertising and Promotional Tactics 209

Strategic Planning Exercise: Choosing

Advertising and Promotional Tactics 210

Packaging the Communication Tactics 211

Thinking Creatively 212

Putting the Program Together 213

Strategic Planning Example: Packaging the

Communication Tactics 214

Strategic Planning Exercise: Packaging

Communication Tactics 216

StepS

Implementing the Strategic Plan 217

The Campaign Plan 217

Tactic: Open House 218

The Schedule 219

Frequency of Tactics 219

Timelines of Tasks 220

The Budget 222

Budget Item Categories 223

Approaches to Budgeting 224

Managing the Budget 227

Full-Cost Budgets 229

How Much Success Is Necessary? 230

Strategic Planning Example: Implementing the

Strategic Plan 231

Strategic Planning Exercise: Implementing the

Strategic Plan 232

Phase Four

EVALUATIVE RESEARCH 235

Step 9

Evaluating the Strategic Plan 237

Research Design: What to Evaluate 237

IX

Contents

Design Questions 237

Evaluation Criteria 238

Timing: When to Evaluate 239

Implementation Report 239

Progress Report 240

Final Evaluation 240

Research Design 242

Methodology: How to Evaluate 244

Judgmental Assessments 244

Evaluation of Communication Outputs 245

Evaluation of Awareness Objectives 247

Evaluation of Acceptance Objectives 251

Evaluation of Action Objectives 251

Data Analysis 253

Evaluation Reports 254

Structure of the Evaluation Report 254

The Ultimate Evaluation: Value-Added

Public Relations 254

Strategic Planning Example: Evaluating the

Strategic Plan 256

Strategic Planning Exercise: Evaluating the

Strategic Plan 257

Appendix A

Applied Research Techniques 259

Appendix B

Ethical Standards 302

Appendix C

Sample Campaigns 316

Glossary 337

Citations and Recommended Readings 352

Index 361

X

Preface

/"Strategic Planning for Public Relations offers college and university students a

^k new way to deepen their understanding of public relations and other kinds of

Jk_/ strategic communication. It is intended for people serious about entering a profes￾sion that is rapidly changing, shedding a past that often involved merely performing

tasks managed by others and taking on a newer, more mature role in the management of

organizations.

This book provides an in-depth approach to public relations planning, more com￾prehensive than can be found anywhere else. It is built on a step-by-step unfolding of the

planning process most often used in public relations, with explanations, examples and

exercises that combine to guide students toward a contemporary understanding of the

profession.

The approach used in Strategic Planning for Public Relations is rooted in the

author's belief and observation that students learn best through a three-fold pattern of

being exposed to an idea, seeing it in use, and then applying it themselves. This is the

rhythm of this book—its cadence, if you will. This is the design that takes a complex

problem-solving and decision-making process and turns it into a series of easy-to￾follow steps.

This second edition of Strategic Planning for Public Relations follows the same

format as the first edition. It updates examples and incorporates recent research. It also

adds a few new sections, particularly a section on stereotyping in Step 3 and a section

on statistics in Step 6.

Note to Students

Thank you for allowing me to share my ideas and insights into a profession that I have

found to be challenging and rewarding. I wish you much success as you proceed toward

a career that I hope you, too, will discover to be exhilarating.

I stumbled into public relations somewhat by accident, at least not by my own con￾scious design. I began my career as a newspaper reporter, and later as an editor, with

some side trips into television writing and producing. I then made the transition into pub￾lic relations—at first building on a familiar base of media relations, publicity and

newsletters, and only later navigating into issues management, crisis response, integrated

communication, and a host of related areas. Along the way, I incorporated the new tech￾nological developments (particularly desktop publishing, e-mail and the Internet) and

wonder how we once managed without these tools. Frankly, I wish there had been a book

like this to guide me toward an understanding of how to do public relations, especially the

research and planning parts. So I'm pleased to be able to share with you some of the

insights I've picked up along the way.

With this book and the practical exercises that go with it, you are proceeding along

the road to professional success. I wish you the best of luck.

xi

Preface

You should be aware that this book is intended for group development and class ac￾tivities. While you certainly can use it alone, you will find that it comes more fully alive

as a text to guide group projects. Even if you are not a student in a traditional classroom,

try to use this book in the context of your own project task force or professional work

team.

Note to Instructors

Thank you for choosing this textbook for your students. Thanks especially for the op￾portunity to share with them some of my thoughts and observations on an exciting pro￾fession. I trust that you will find the information contained in this book to be well within

the framework of contemporary professional practice and academic principles.

Strategic Planning for Public Relations grew out of my observation that students

seem to learn best when they understand concepts, have patterns to follow and adapt,

and have the opportunity to work individually and in groups on tasks that gradually un￾fold to reveal the bigger picture. This is my intention with this book—to provide a struc￾ture, yet to give you much flexibility in leading your students through the planning

process.

I also can share with you that your colleagues have found this book useful in intro￾ductory courses as well as in courses focusing on campaign and case studies. Personally,

I use the book for an intensive introductory course, supplemented with some online

information on history and other foundational elements such as my Web site—

faculty.buffalostate.edu/smithrd. We also use the book in our senior-level campaign

course as the basis for students developing their own campaign proposals. Additionally,

the book serves as a basis for the campaigns that our graduate students develop.

Acknowledgments

John Dunne was right that no one is an island. Neither does an author write alone, but

instead reflects in some way the insight of others in the field who write, teach and

engage in the practice.

Strategic Planning for Public Relations enjoys the input of many people. As the

author of this textbook, I'll take personal responsibility for any errors or omissions, but

I'm confident these are fewer because of the advice and assistance of many knowledge￾able people who helped with this book.

Collectively, my students have been major contributors to this book. It is in the

classroom that I have tested and refined the ideas contained herein. My students have

prodded me to articulate my ideas and to bolster them with plenty of real-world

examples.

My academic colleagues at Buffalo State emphasize practical, applied communica￾tion, and I have benefited from ongoing professional conversations with them, Marian

Deutschman in particular. My professional colleagues within the Public Relations

Society of America consistently have helped me with their insight and constructive crit￾icism. In particular, Ann Reynolds Garden APR, Stanton H. Hudson APR and Fellow

xii

Preface

PRSA, and William E. Sledzik APR and Fellow PRSA have helped me refine some of

my ideas.

The publishing team at Lawrence Erlbaum Associates is superb. Linda Bathgate has

guided me through the conceptual development of this second edition, steering it to its

final form.

Personal Dedication

Like the entirety of my life, this book is dedicated to my family.

Though they don't realize it, my three sons have been an inspiration as I worked on

this book. As Josh progressed through his teaching job near Kobe, Japan, and now in

graduate school in Osaka, he has challenged me to explain public relations every time

I suggest he consider it as a career. As Aaron completes his college education in public

relations, he has discovered a challenging internship and many interesting job possibil￾ities well-suited to his talents in both strategic planning and writing. Matt, meanwhile,

is making the transition from high school to college, also anticipating a career in

communication.

My greatest appreciation goes to my wife, Dawn Minier Smith. During the devel￾opment of both editions of this book, indeed during my entire teaching career, Dawn has

been my sounding board. A teacher herself, she has lent her ear as I tested ideas, tried

out new ways to present lessons and attempted to make sense of theories, cases and

observations. Since she doesn't see any domestic value in a wife fawning over her

husband, Dawn's constructive criticism has been always trustworthy and thus most

valuable. I always take her suggestions seriously. Sometimes I've even had the good

sense to follow them.

An Invitation

This book is the result of much dialogue with others, particularly feedback from my

students. But reader reaction inevitably is useful. I invite all readers—students, teachers

and practitioners—to share your thoughts with me. Give me comments and suggestions

for future editions. Share your success stories and your frustrations with this book. I also

invite you to use my Web site, where I have included an expanding number of pages and

links related to public relations and other aspects of strategic communication.

—Ron Smith

[email protected]

faculty.buffalostate.edu/smithrd

xiii