Don't let myths cloud your understanding of PR measurement. Instead, leverage PR as a powerful tool to drive your organization's success.
Public relations is often shrouded in the myth that measuring outcomes is elusive if not impossible. This misconception stems from the belief that the primary result of PR activities is the mere generation of publicity. While publicity indeed provides value, its true significance is unlocked when it aligns seamlessly with your organization's overarching strategies and business objectives.
It's imperative for organizations to hold their public relations initiatives accountable for achieving well-defined and quantifiable goals that truly matter.
In many instances, the same metrics used to gauge the effectiveness of advertising can be applied to evaluate the impact of PR. Public relations outcomes typically fall into three distinct categories. We can educate. We can persuade. And we can mobilize. Put another way, we can build a common understanding, we can establish and strengthen belief in something, and we can motivate people to take action.
- Education: Public relations can shine a spotlight on an organization, issue, product, or service. When an organization's identity hasn't been clearly defined, PR can step in to help establish it.
- Persuasion: Once a foundational level of awareness and shared understanding is established, public relations can then wield its power to reinforce or even transform opinions about an organization, issue, product, or service. Your audience can believe your products are safe, that you are a caring, responsible corporate citizen or that you are trustworthy.
- Behavior: Public relations provides a potent tool to engage your target audience, compelling them to take specific actions. These can be as simple as connecting with you on Linkedin, signing up for your newsletter, swinging by your booth at an upcoming trade show or even sending an email to Congress.
When orchestrating a public relations campaign, it's crucial to align these three categories with your organizational objectives. At DPK Public Relations, our approach often involves working backward, starting by identifying the desired action you wish to stimulate, determining what beliefs your audience needs to hold before taking that action, and establishing what knowledge they need to possess before embracing those beliefs.
With this method, measuring the effectiveness of PR becomes straightforward. For instance, awareness can be quantified through surveys. Understanding your audience's beliefs and the strength of those beliefs can be uncovered through surveys, focus groups, and interviews. Behavior is best assessed using data your organization may already collect, such as the quantity and quality of inquiries, brand trial outcomes, and sales volume.
In conclusion, measuring the success of your public relations efforts can be simple. By aligning PR strategies with organizational objectives, focusing on education, persuasion and behavior, and using appropriate measurement tools, you can gain clear insights into the impact of your PR initiatives.