RESEARCH: Creating PR Project Value and Success

When racking my brain recently to replenish PROFIT's depleted supply of PR Bonus Points to share with our online readers, an article on the value of integrating research into communication projects surfaced. It took a split second to make the decision to simply devote this web page to a two-part series on the importance of RESEARCH…the key to strategic public relations and marketing communications.

Part I.
In order to better understand and conduct effective research it's imperative to identify the ways that it can make or break the success of PR/Marketing Communications programs.

RESEARCH Fast Five:

• Every Public Relations program ought to build into the budget a low, medium or high range of research to guide the development of the goals and objectives and to influence other key project decisions.
• Research can be used at any point in a plan to refocus or explore developments, but typically it is used at the beginning of the communications planning process to identify the core problem and develop objectives (formative research), and during the evaluation phase to measure results (summative or evaluative research).
• Research can take the guess work out of how best to construct the PR program within the given timeframe and allotted budget.
• When in doubt and too many questions associated with the program are left unanswered…use research.
• Hands down…the best strategic PR project investment directly tied to results is research.

Coming in December - Part II.
Learn more about the two general types of research to conduct, getting management on-board and using Internet research, just to name a few.

PROFIT Communications Research Expertise Combined with Information from Article from PRSA Tactics -- RESEARCH: The Cornerstone of Value Creation
October 2008