Stories by Mark Weiner

Target-audience penetration is key to a successful media relations strategy and the tactics that follow. Technology, research and insights provide detailed information about the audiences you need to reach and how to reach them.

Interest in PR measurement, research and evaluation have never been greater, for two main reasons: low-cost SaaS platforms put media analysis within reach of even the smallest organizations; and C-suites demand PR be measured, just like every other part of the enterprise.

PR data, research and evaluation continue to flourish in agencies, non-profits and corporations large and small. To encourage those considering the field and inform hiring decisions, we spoke with seven corporate members of the Institute for Public Relations Measurement Commission.Each delivers research-based insight and guidance to communication colleagues.

With so many software choices and cascades of data, the question changes from ‘Which platform(s) do I buy?’ to ‘How do I manage the tool(s) and interpret the data?’ Communicators eventually find themselves bumping up against the limitations of what technology alone can do. In response, tools are neglected and investment is wasted.

For those interested in approaching PR as a research-and-reality-informed process, there is a simple framework: ‘the Public Relations continuum.’ The six-step cycle drives continual improvement, versus objectives and against competitors, to provide opportunities for refinement with every rotation.

Research is more accessible now to more professional communicators. What’s more, communication technology platforms are ubiquitous and at many price points…some cost nothing! With free and low-cost technology, the decision to measure, even with a modest budget, is a matter of willingness rather than ability.

Without the context of comparative analysis, one can pursue what seems like a proper PR plan. Set measurable objectives, develop data-informed strategy and tactics, and evaluate performance…and get everything absolutely wrong.

For some in financial services the late-January phenomena of GameStop represented an existential threat. For others, it was a chance to take a position. In response, courageous executives acted. This was not possible without prior planning and consideration.

To succeed in 2021, we recommend “the Landscape Analysis” as the best way to catalog, evaluate and improve your situation. Even if you think you know the answers, the current atmosphere indicates a need to reassess the communication environment.

While counterintuitive, broad acceptance of technology to advance productivity and efficiency reveals a greater need for the human elements required to manage tools and think about data they generate.