By now, I would speculate that most of you have dived into the world of social media in one fashion or another. Perhaps your organization has started a blog, facebook page or twitter feed. Whether you have become a social media expert or are still a skeptic of the online world, the use of social media is one of the many essential components in the planning process of your 2013 public relations (PR) strategy.
You may have had some major PR successes in 2012 which would have only increased the visibility of your organization in the community and in the media. It’s important to build on last year’s success and sit down with your team to plan a creative new strategy for 2013.
When building your 2013 PR strategic plan, ask yourself three questions:
- What is your main PR goal for 2013?
- What measures do you have to take to achieve this goal?
- How can I engage the media and community’s interest in our initiative?
Once you have your goals identified, contemplate the following key elements to incorporate into the plan:
- Indentify key concerns/issues of importance with your organization and its PR goals;
- Look at your goals and ask: “Is this realistic?”, “What is the desired outcome?”
- Determine your key audience. Perhaps it’s some local celebrities, the media, the community etc.;
- Develop a formal plan for each goal, highlighting key activities and timelines; and
- Establish communication by building on existing relationships with your key targeted audience.
A great example would be:
Goal: Increase my organization’s visibility in the community.
Measure (Action Plan): Launch a new partnership or campaign with a local charity while engaging with a local celebrity.
Gaining Media/Community interest: By engaging a local celebrity, whether it is a media personality, athlete or author, you are capitalizing on their visibility in the community and that will in turn engage the media. Post photos about the event on your blog and/or facebook, twitter accounts to connect with the consumer!
Remember: Public Relations is key to increasing awareness and building the brand. It creates an important dialogue between the news media and your business for the long-term.
For more information please feel free to contact me at 613-233-8906 or by e-mail at huw@impactcanada.com with questions or comments.
Huw Williams is President of Impact Public Affairs, an Ottawa-based public relations and government relations firm specializing in finding innovative strategic communications and advocacy solutions for large industry associations. Over the years, Impact has been recognized nationally and internationally for the effective and creative public affairs campaigns that it has created for its client.
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