The WOC Guide to Effective PR Measurement & Evaluation

PR Measurement

 

By Molly Borchers, Sr. Communications Strategist

For decades, public relations practitioners have struggled to prove our worth. To complicate matters further, our field is getting more and more convoluted. Today, a single tweet from a Kardashian could be worth more than an entire advertising budget.

Many companies put such a focus on ROI based on the dollar amount, yet there is often forgotten value outside of that box, such as keeping competitors out of news, publicizing positive versus negative content and developing a relationship with the community. Measurement just isn’t as cut and dry as it used to be.

The number-one reason that (good) PR measurement is so important is because we can deliver better and more effective communications to help our client partners achieve goals when we have the right data and insights. Not only does it prove the value, but it enables the practitioner to optimize their strategy and be more successful in the future.

For example, we recently found in one of our campaigns that broadcast TV had been reaching more people and driving more positive coverage than print and online outlets. With that data, we were able to make a strategic recommendation to the client partner to increase their PR support of the popular program and other stories that target local TV news stations, creating a bigger positive impact on public perception.

That’s why it was our 2015 resolution to invest in training on measurement. Here is a look into our process.

The Barcelona Principles

In 2010, a group of PR industry leaders gathered in Barcelona at an AMEC conference and developed the Barcelona Principles. There hadn’t previously been any industry-wide measurement standards or guidelines, and too many practitioners were still using Advertising Value Equivalency (AVEs). For those who don’t know, the AVE is an outdated approach to valuing editorial coverage that was developed in the mid 20th century. AVE is what your editorial coverage would cost if it were advertising space. Many folks like it because it actually puts a dollar value to PR results, but it’s now widely accepted that the metric is inaccurate. Here’s a post that explains a few of its flaws.

The Barcelona Principles were developed to fill the need of an accurate, universal standard of measurement.

These principles contain seven general guidelines for practitioners to implement:

  1. Importance of goal-setting and measurement
  2. Measuring the effect on outcomes is preferred to measuring outputs
  3. The effect on business results can and should be measured where possible
  4. Media measurement requires quantity and quality
  5. AVEs are not the value of public relations
  6. Social media can and should be measured
  7. Transparency and replicability are paramount to sound measurement

For a detailed explanation of each principle, take a look at this post.

Measurement Starts with Planning

There’s a reason why goal-setting is first in the Barcelona Principles: effective evaluation starts with effective objective setting. We cannot measure what we cannot benchmark. At its simplest, PR evaluation is simply checking that the objectives set have been met.

As a best practice, WOC begins any client partner program by defining “SMART” objectives – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-based. Our programs are then measured based on those objectives, and strategies are developed in a way that takes people through the communications funnel.funnel

Starting with awareness – “I have heard about that company,” to knowledge – “I know a little bit about that company or brand,” to interest – “I would like to know even more,” to preference – “I will consider them above their competitors for a purchase,” – to action – “I am making a purchase.” One may also argue that there is a level beyond action that we should be striving for – advocacy. This is the development of brand evangelists who will support your brand for life.

Earned Metrics Framework

With the Barcelona Principles and Communications Funnel in mind, WOC takes our goals and objectives and develops an “earned metrics framework” to identify possible metrics for individual PR programs. They are not intended to be the definitive rules of measurement and therefore do not include every possible metric.

Here’s an example:example

The matrix was constructed to reflect the simplified process of how PR works:

  •  Public Relations Activity – Metrics reflecting the process of producing or disseminating the desired messages (or inputs)
  • Intermediary Effect – Metrics reflecting the third party dissemination of the messages to the target audience (or outputs)
  • Target Audience Effect – Metrics showing that the target audience has received the communications and any resulting action-driven outcomes (or outcomes)

In the chart above, the communications function is on the horizontal axis, the phases are on the vertical axis and the goal is to get down to the bottom right corner because measuring the effect on outcomes is preferred to measuring outputs.

Let’s delve into how this can be applied:

  • Start with your inputs or activities – this may be pitching magazines, writing contributed articles or coordinating a speaking engagement
  • Next, look at the intermediary effect – these metrics all correlate with the media in which stories are placed and have to do with “outputs” as we typically know them
  • Finally, we’re looking at the targeted audience effect or the outcomes. Once we get this row through the communications funnel, we’ve reached our goal, whether that may be leads generated, sales, market share, customer loyalty and so on

Taking Action

All this information would be useless if we didn’t put it in action. Here are some first steps to implement these measurement best practices into your campaign:

  • Adopt an Earned Metrics Framework in annual planning to determine what metrics to measure and set up your media tracking to reflect these metrics
  • Discuss outcome goals with client partners
  • Create SMART objectives
  • Start talking to client partners about measuring sentiment and share of voice, if appropriate
  • Track links and integrate campaigns with Google Analytics
  • For B2C companies, plot PR volume spikes against sales data
  • Do what makes sense for your client partners – think in terms of outcomes rather than outputs

5 Conflicting Traits for Public Relations Success

 juggling-work

 

By: Julie Wright

If you’ve been in the field of public relations for a while, you’ll recognize some of these head-scratching contradictions. What other profession asks people to combine such opposing character traits and skillsets? PR pros are a weird and wonderful mash-up of qualities, and I, for one, wouldn’t have it any other way. I’d love to know – what would you add to this list?

  1. Be a good storyteller and an even better listener

Do you spin a good yarn? Enthrall your audience? Perfect! But no one ever learned anything by talking (Donald Trump). So to really be a good PR practitioner, you need exceptional listening skills. That can mean listening to stakeholders so that you know what really interests them, or it can mean listening for what is not being said. Since the stories we tell are not fictional, being a good listener means being as focused on the facts and as accurate as the journalist you will pitch. Truly, you can’t be a great storyteller until you’ve become a great listener.

  1. Bring a contagious enthusiasm to your subject and a perfect poker face

We can’t bore our audiences into caring about our clients’ stories, so infecting them with our own excitement and interest is key. But there are times when it’s not possible to tell the whole story. Exciting but confidential news could be a pending acquisition, a killer new product feature about to launch, a new hire—but if the information is not ripe for publication, the perfect spokesperson also has to do the job of a police officer doing crowd control: “Nothing to look at, folks. Move on.” Otherwise, they could spark speculation, unproductive rumor mongering and a media frenzy.

  1. You’ve got to see the big picture while also getting the details right

Strategy has to be your North Star. Why are we doing this? What are we aiming to achieve? Great. Now execute that plan to perfection—juggling approvals from AWOL client decision makers, managing a timeline and budget, keeping the spokespeople on message and ensuring the right stakeholders are reached via the right platforms at the right time. Yes, we can also pat our heads and rub our bellies simultaneously.

  1. Can I trust you to be discreet? Oh, and can you be shamelessly promotional, too?

Sign the NDA. Respect client confidentiality. Protect their brand and image as if they were your own. And then, on a dime, turn on the loudspeaker, load up the emails and start working the phones and working the room. It’s an unsettling juxtaposition. When you’re more often measured by how successfully you spread a message, it can feel very uncomfortable to be sidelined or silenced. However, it all comes down to trust. Can your client count on you to protect their image as diligently as you promote it?

  1. Right brain business smarts!  And left brain creative genius!

You need to be as comfortable in the boardroom or corner office as you are in a beanbag chair brainstorming campaign ideas. Can you take that business speak and make it as interesting and engaging as possible? It’s the creative thinking that brings it to life – a campaign with a fun hook or a visual that helps tell the story. Call it “creative license.”

If you’ve got both business savvy and creative chops, you’ve got what it takes to crush it in the rewarding, fast-paced world of public relations today.

Branding & Pop Culture

Pop Culture branding image

By Erica Schlesinger, Communications Strategist

Jay-Z. Lady Gaga. Kim Kardashian. These names may or may not make you cringe, but one thing they have down to a T is their presence in pop culture, making you aware of exactly who they are. With longstanding stints in the public eye, these celebrities have established a recognizable, trademark presence and personal brand down to a science. Even if you’re not looking to make yourself the next rap-repreneuer, eccentric musical goddess or love-to-hate pop culture fixture, this group delivers some great takeaways that can inform developing and innovating branding and messaging in just about any industry.

Jay-Z

Jay said it himself: “I’m not a businessman; I’m a business, man.” This guy has his hand in more projects than most people manage in a lifetime – besides his obvious source of primary income as a rapper, he owns record labels, liquor brands, nightclubs and more. The backbone of his brand is elevating himself as a high-class jack of all trades, but with a twist – it’s not his businesses that make him, but the other way around.

What he can teach you: Build yourself or your brand up to be the authority, the reigning expert. Identify areas where you can position yourself as a thought leader, early adopter or innovator and capitalize on them. If you’re like Jay and can truly master a number of empires, by all means, do it and do it proud. However, it’s far better to be absolutely stellar at one thing than to be just ok at many – that will build a reputable, strong presence within your industry or with your customers.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga is a chameleon when it comes to her style du jour – who could forget her infamous meat dress? – but her brand has been consistent from the start. She lives the old Oscar Wilde adage, “There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.” Gaga uses her quirkiness and willingness to dance to the beat of a slightly different drummer to stay on people’s radars, as well as her passionate devotion to human rights causes.

What she can teach you: It is important to build your own brand of weird – it may not even be weird in the literal sense, but just how you set yourself apart from your competitors. What makes you different from them and why? It also never hurts to attach yourself to a cause, whether it’s fighting for better content marketing or making sure your organization spends time giving back. Just one thing – if it’s the latter, please be genuine. There’s nothing worse than using a philanthropic cause just to look good.

Kim Kardashian

Ms. Kardashian cultivates a wide-eyed, vapid persona that makes her seem… well, dumb. But you know what? I’d bet you the whole Kardashian-Jenner and West fortune she’s not.  Think back a decade. No one knew who Kim Kardashian was. And although she may not have burst onto the scene in the most flattering light, she definitely rose above it and has built herself an empire. Sure, she’s famous for simply being famous, but she’s effectively leveraged that to build businesses and amass a fortune that is nothing to sneeze at.

What she can teach you: You can make a comeback. People make mistakes, and these people run companies and develop brands. Maybe a new logo didn’t sit well with diehard fans or a social media manager made a snafu on Twitter. Acknowledge your error, listen to your audience and put a plan in motion to make it right. It always helps if you can laugh at yourself a bit, too – the humanity will be appreciated. Plus, if you’re on the radar for doing something not-so-great, a well-executed new strategy will be even sweeter once carried out.

What other celebrities do you think have PR and branding down? Let us know at @wrightoncomm.

Meet the Team: Kara – Communications Coordinator

Headshot_KaraWe’re giving you the inside scoop on the entire WOC team with our “Meet the Team” series. This month, the spotlight is on our new Communications Coordinator, Kara DeMent.

Kara is known for her “out of the box” thinking and passion for the media industry. As Communications Coordinator, she supports (W)right On’s land development, energy, utility, technology, B-to-B, professional services, hospitality and non-profit clients. Before joining (W)right On, Kara served as a PR Assistant at a boutique PR firm and supported communications for the Orlando Magic and LA Clippers. She graduated from California State University, San Bernardino with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with an emphasis in PR and Mass Communications. As a California native, she enjoys the beach, Disneyland trips, crafting, and being outdoors.

What would you be doing if you weren’t at your current job?

I would be looking for my current job! Haha

What’s one word you would use to describe yourself?

Ambitious

Fill in the blank. “If you really knew me, you’d know ____.”

If you really knew me, you’d know that I have this dream of becoming a New York City Rockette and performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

What super power would you like to have?

I would love the power of having super strength.

What would a “perfect” day look like to you?

A perfect day would be going to brunch (I love mimosas) and going to a sporting event. Preferably, a Clippers game J

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in the past year?

To be patient and know that things will happen when they’re meant to.

Best vacation you’ve had?

A family trip to Walt Disney World, followed by a cruise to the Bahamas!

What’s your most embarrassing moment at work?

There was one time I spilt coffee on Deandre Jordan before a press conference. He was cool about it, but I about died. Haha

Favorite quote?

“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” –Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would be cast as you?

Jennifer Lawrence, for sure!

What’s your drink of choice?

Jack and coke.

If you were stuck on an island and could only choose 5 CDs, what would they be?

Usher 8701, Matchbox Twenty Yourself or Someone Like You, NSYNC, Bing Crosby Christmas CD, Brittney Spears (not sure which one though), and Journey’s Escape CD.

Fill in the blank. “People would be surprised if they knew___.”

People would be surprised if they knew that I have a weird obsession with everything supernatural and Harry Potter. I own a wand from Harry Potter Land.

What’s your biggest pet peeve?

I feel like I have a lot, but the one that really gets me is when people don’t say thank you.

What tv show/movie is your guilty pleasure?

I have a lot of these too, but if I had to choose one Vampire Diaries would have to be it.

What’s one thing you can’t live without?

Disneyland. Haha

Favorite line from a movie?

One of my favorites, “SANTA, I know him!” – Buddy, ELF

Do you have an office nickname? What is it?

No.

What’s the best/worst gift you have ever received?

The best gift I’ve received would have to be my Mustang. I love that car.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I enjoy sporting events, hiking, crafting (specifically painting), brunching, Disneyland, being with my friends and family, and Netflix.

REI Wins Big with Black Friday Boycott… So Far

Photo via REI
Photo via REI

By Shae Geary

As part of the growing group of people who are turned off by the endless consumerism that surrounds the Thanksgiving holiday, I was thrilled to hear of REI’s recent decision to shun Black Friday and instead #optoutside. The outdoor gear company announced in October that it would close all 143 locations on the day after Thanksgiving AND pay all employees to take a day off and explore the outdoors. REI’s news made headlines nationwide with some estimating that whatever REI may be sacrificing in sales, they’ll have made up for in publicity. So what is it about REI’s decision that has turned it into a PR “win”? Let’s break it down…

Authenticity: Rather than seeing themselves as just another big box retailer competing for market share, REI recognized that they are a different kind of company that is “dedicated to one thing and one thing only: a life outdoors.” REI’s decision perfectly aligns with the brand’s personality, mission and guiding philosophy.

First to the Market: REI has dominated the Black Friday conversation for two reasons. First, the company’s announcement was well timed a month before Black Friday and before other major retailers announced their own Black Friday strategies. Second, they are the first major company to publicly own the concept of staying closed on one of the biggest shopping days of the year. It doesn’t hurt that they also did it with gusto, conviction and a solid alternative to spending the day shopping. No one else can claim this space.

Bucking the Trend: REI’s decision to take the “less traveled fork in the road” has been described as a bold and possibly risky move. However, by bucking the trend, REI has essentially become a trendsetter in its own right. As every PR professional can attest, the media loves trendsetters.

Leading a Social Movement: REI has successfully started a new kind of holiday conversation with its social campaign #optoutside. The company is now the poster child for a social movement of people fed up with endless holiday consumerism. #Optoutside is likely to be a conversation relevant long after Thanksgiving and forever associated with choosing outdoor adventure over shopping mania during the holidays.

While there are critics of REI’s decision and the possibility exists that financially the retailer won’t be able to adopt this strategy for the long term (in which case, the company could face some negative PR backlash), I think I’ll be opting outside this Black Friday. Where will you be?

Five Simple Ways to Host a Successful Media Trip

Five Simple Ways to Host a Successful Media Trip

By Erica Schlesinger, Communications Strategist

For our hospitality PR client partners, a key component to a successful media relations strategy is planning press visits. Sometimes, this involves setting up an individual journalist with a hotel stay, activities and meals on their own, but often, we will plan a group press trip. Also called a familiarization, or “fam” trip, these team endeavors are a great way to form personal relationships with members of the media while also securing multiple features for client partners. I have personally planned and attended more than 10 press trips, so I like to think I know a thing or two about making them smooth and successful!

Check out my top five tips for pulling off a great getaway:

  1. Plan ahead – As much as possible, start narrowing down dates, general trajectory of the trip, how many people to host and target audiences about four or five (or even six for a longer trip) months in advance. Many sought-after travel journalists have trips lined up back-to-back, so getting on their calendars is much more likely when you give them the chance to plan ahead. It may seem like overkill, but you’ll have a clear picture of who can make it – and who can’t – with enough time to fill your trip and stay organized… without having a last-minute panic attack.
  2. Be flexible – Schedules change, people run late and guests can develop newfound food allergies or fears of heights when you had a meticulous tasting menu and zipline excursion planned. There is no such thing as a perfect fam trip – when you’re balancing five to seven writers, their guests, their requests, different onsite teams working together and robust itineraries, something is bound to change (and often last-minute and on-the-go). It may not always be convenient or ideal, but tackle it as you would any professional issue: take a breath, use your head, ask for help as needed and take it from there. You’ll soon have it handled. I’ve had writers have overnight flight delays or at-home emergencies, change preferences on a completed itinerary, show up with an unexpected guest and much more. At the end of the day, you’re there to make sure they arrive safely, have a good experience and leave happy – and want to work with you again and say nice things about your clients as a result. Another tip – be transparent with your client partner and inform them of any issues that may impact their teams, but if they don’t need to get involved, don’t bring them into the mix.
  3. Be a control freak – Staying organized is critical for a successful fam trip. You need to make sure a lot of details are sorted and effectively communicated to all involved parties, travel arrangements are made, itineraries are approved, rooms are booked – you get the idea. At WOC, we have a few things that always make their way into our fam trip planning rotation:
    • Bio sheet – Ask each press trip attendee for a photo, brief bio, what their story will be about and the reach of their outlet, then compile into a single document to share with stakeholders. It gives a snapshot of who they’ll be meeting so they can prepare to chat with them, address any special preferences and get an idea of what sort of result they can expect from their time and money.
    • Google Docs/Google Drive – AKA your press trip BFF. Load any spreadsheets, bio sheets, itineraries and other documents up, add approved editors and watch edits appear in real time… without having 50 back-and-forth emails. Isn’t that nice?
    • Preference sheet/head count sheet – This is like a press trip “master document.” Here, we will have all key information any given member of our team or our clients’ team may need at any time to plan the trip. Excel is a great platform to build this in, then – you guessed it – load it into Google Drive. At the very least, this should include all contact info for each attendee, information on their preferences and any health or dietary needs, their guest, their meal selections and their activity preferences. For the latter two, build a “total count” row into the bottom of the sheet – this makes interfacing with activity partners and building BEOs a much easier process.
    • Itinerary – Also like the Press Trip Bible. This is a very detailed timeline covering everything attendees can expect from their trip, right down to notes about driving times if they’re arriving separately and check-in tips for spa appointments. It will keep you, your team and your guests on track from day one to waving goodbye. We WOC-ers like to add each element of the itinerary into our smartphone calendars with a 30-minute warning so we can always be one step ahead.
  4. Be a social butterfly – As a PR pro, you are on a fam trip to represent your client partner, guide the trip and act as a go-to source for information, but in reality, you’re the chief entertainer, too. You will be the person these folks will see the most over two, three, sometimes six or seven days, and it is your job to make sure they all feel welcome and are having fun. When everyone arrives, get them all introduced to one another (including their guests) – and you should not have to refer to any notes for names or what outlet they’re from! During the first meet-and-greet with key members of your client partner’s team, introduce both parties with full names and titles. While at meals or driving in a group, make an effort to mix and mingle with different people. Sometimes, some attendees are much harder to connect with than others – resist the urge to stick with Chatty Cathy the whole trip through. It may be Silent Sue who has the most questions, is the most uncomfortable around groups or just needs some encouragement to open up.
  5. Be a human clock – Real talk… media attendees are rarely keeping track of the time and itinerary while on press trips. Which is fine, since they’re there for the experience. PR pros, however, need to be on schedule at all times. During activities, keep an eye on the time and give updates (“Hey, guys, we have about 20 more minutes in this location. Is there anything else you need to see or photograph before we prepare to move on?”) – this can even mean politely urging a tour guide along, or pulling a chef aside in advance of a big meal to remind him or her of your after-dinner itinerary. If sending people off on free time before another set of activities, and during the last get-together of the evening, remind people of the time and location of their next scheduled stop. It might seem like a lot of “hovering,” but you’ll be surprised how quickly people forget when dinner is or where they need to check it for their morning horseback ride after a full day.

Putting together a winning press trip takes much more than following a few guidelines, but these are a great place to start. Hospitality PR pros, what other tips would you share after running trips of your own?

To learn more about (W)right On’s hospitality PR team, results and capabilities, check out WrightOnComm.com/Hospitality.