The PR plan: Don’t start a campaign without it

You wouldn’t embark on a cross country car ride (do people still do that?) without giving some thought to a route, would you?  With GPS today, it is certainly easier than in past years, but still, you want to plan your journey.  If you’re going to drive 3,000 miles, why not give some thought to whether you want to see the mountains or the desert?  Landmarks or just open road?

The same holds true when planning a PR campaign.  It is not enough to do PR and marketing just for the sake of doing it.  You need to know your objectives.  What are you attempting to achieve?  Is it to increase sales or brand your company?  Create a reputation or protect the one you already have?  Or, all of the above?

There are two schools of thought when planning a PR and marketing campaign.  You can do lots of things a little bit, or a few things well.  In most cases the latter is the better choice.  Select a few activities that your organization has the talent, time and budget for, and focus on them.  If you take this approach, you will be sure to achieve success in some areas, rather than limited success in many.