![\"nancyschwartz\"](\"https:\/\/www.publicityhound.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/08\/nancyschwartz-150x150.jpg\" "\\"nancyschwartz\\"")
One of the biggest mistakes people make when\u00a0measuring the success of a publicity campaign continues to be counting the\u00a0number of newspaper clippings, or the number of page views, that result from a press release or promotion.<\/p>\nOne of the biggest mistakes people make when\u00a0measuring the success of a publicity campaign continues to be counting the\u00a0number of newspaper clippings, or the number of page views, that result from a press release or promotion.<\/p>\n
But\u00a0a pile of clips, or thousands of page views, don’t mean diddly.<\/p>\n
Instead, determine whether your campaign\u00a0did one of these three things:<\/p>\n
Changing behavior is so much more effective\u00a0than simply getting an article published in the Daily Tattler. If your target audience is the under-30 crowd, the Daily Tattler is probably insignificant to your customers. You need to find out where they are, and present a compelling marketing message.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Did your PR campaign\u00a0encourage people to\u00a0make a donation? Or write to their U.S. Senator?\u00a0Volunteer their time?\u00a0Opt into an email\u00a0newsletter? Follow you on Twitter? \u00a0Visit your YouTube channel?\u00a0Download a free White Paper?\u00a0<\/p>\n
All of those “calls to action” are much better indicators of\u00a0success, particularly if you can measure the results.<\/p>\n
Nancy Schwartz, an expert in marketing for nonprofits, wrote an excellent item about this in the most recent issue of her Getting Attention newsletter. It’s must-reading, even if you’re a for-profit company. In fact, I recommend it for anyone creating a media campaign or a 12-month publicity plan.\u00a0 By Nancy Schwartz<\/p>\n Relax and breathe a sigh of relief.<\/p>\n The staff or consultant primarily responsible for media relations should own this process and do the initial strategic thinking.\u00a0 That person, or another team member, can be assigned to research (e.g. to develop your press list).<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Begin by reviewing this list.<\/p>\n Next, dive into the low-hanging fruit (#1-5 below).\u00a0 You should be able to complete these tasks without additional research.\u00a0 Run by colleagues to ensure you are on target.<\/p>\n Assign an intern or assistant (you could even hire a virtual assistant for this) for tasks #6 and #7 to start researching key media to follow, and to draft a top ten press list.<\/p>\n Take these findings, finalize the press list, and address the balance of the planning tasks (#8-11).<\/p>\n Review the draft plan with key colleagues, and revise as needed.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1. Estimate what you can invest in building your media relations program, time and budget. 2. Set goals.<\/strong><\/p>\n —What are your three main program goals?\u00a0<\/p>\n —How can media relations be used to achieve these goals:\u00a0 Build awareness,\u00a0shift opinion,\u00a0motivate action?<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What do you envision your media work will generate?\u00a0\u00a0These objectives serve as the measures you’ll track to evaluate your success.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 —Define each group’s connection to each issue or story, what you want them to do, what is important to them, and what they read, watch and listen to.<\/p>\n —Audience definition shapes your key messages and press list. —Try to distill your message into a 25-word (maximum) statement that will get the point across.\u00a0 Add supporting messages of one to two sentences each, max.<\/p>\n —Make sure these messages are integrated into all of your communications.\u00a0<\/p>\n —Mixed messages are confusing.\u00a0 Consistency ensures that your points are heard and recognized and likely to be repeated.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0 —Capture information on reporters who contact or cover your organization (log conversations\/emails with media so you have this information).\u00a0<\/p>\n —Find related stories via Google news, noting sources and reporters’ names.<\/p>\n —Exchange media contact lists with your colleague organizations. 7. Read, watch and listen to these media over a month or so to pinpoint your top-ten press list.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Through news releases?\u00a0 Personal visits to reporters?\u00a0 On-air interviews?\u00a0 Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 —Consider external events, editorial calendars and date-based news hooks.<\/p>\n —Organize key media outreach efforts chronologically and prioritize, being realistic about what you can accomplish. 10. Define the work plan, and roles and responsibilities.<\/strong><\/p>\n Remember, everyone on your staff and your external supporters are communicators.\u00a0 Give them what they need to spread the word directly as well as via media contacts. 11. Track, measure and fine-tune (ongoing, forever).<\/strong><\/p>\n —Log all contacts with the media.<\/p>\n —Make the log easily accessible.<\/p>\n Let me know how this process works for you!\u00a0 I’ve used it with client organizations time and time again with strong results.<\/p>\n And please let me know if you have any steps to add to this process, or guidance on those listed here?\u00a0 Please share them with me today.<\/a><\/p>\n *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 * <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Nancy mentions hiring a virtual assistant to help.\u00a0I offer more tips on how to do this in\u00a0my article on <\/span>how to train your virtual assistant to help with publicity<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" One of the biggest mistakes people make when\u00a0measuring the success of a publicity campaign continues to be counting the\u00a0number of newspaper clippings, or the number of page views, that result from a press release or promotion. But\u00a0a pile of clips, or thousands of page views, don’t mean diddly. Instead, determine whether your campaign\u00a0did one of\u2026 Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","iawp_total_views":5,"wds_primary_category":1,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[205,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-4643","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-marketing","7":"tag-pitching","8":"tag-video","9":"entry"},"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Joan Stewart","author_link":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/author\/jstewart\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4643","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4643"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4643\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42047,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4643\/revisions\/42047"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4643"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4643"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4643"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/a>
\nI like her tips so much that I’m featuring Nancy here as this month’s guest blogger. I love\u00a0her blog<\/a>, too.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nMedia Relations Planning — 11 Steps to Success<\/span><\/h1>\n\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/li>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/li>\n
\nHere’s How to Start<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
\nThe 11 Steps\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n
\n3. Define realistic objectives, both output and outcome.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n4. Identify three or less primary target audiences.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n5. Tell your story.<\/strong>\u00a0 Pinpoint the key messages you’re trying to communicate.<\/p>\n
\n6. Build your media database\/press list.<\/strong>\u00a0
\n\u00a0\u00a0
\nIdentity key media covering your issues, themes, geographies via these strategies:<\/p>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n8. Identify the best way to get journalists to cover your story.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n9. Craft the timetable.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n