Whether it is to increase sales, gain more members, or be seen as a thought-leader in a particular industry, businesses and organizations have a wide variety of goals. And as communication professionals, our job is to help our clients meet their goals.
But how do we show movement on these goals? This is where PR measurement comes in. It is the tool to show how communication efforts bring value and help achieve the goals of the business or organization.
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend PR News’ PR Measurement Conference in Chicago. Dedicating a whole day to discussing PR measurement, the conference was a great refresher on several solid, time-tested measurement insights.
Here are my top four tips and tricks for PR measurement.
- Goal setting, Goal Setting, Goal Setting
I can’t say it enough! It is foundational to set goals. Without a goal, it is very hard to know what’s working and not working in your PR plan. Setting goals for your business or organization should be the number one priority. Then, leave it to the communication professionals at Interprose to show you how communication efforts can help achieve your overall business goals.
Often, organizations get wrapped up in trying to select the best data collection or measurement tools before they have established their goals. But the goals should determine the tools. Focus on selecting solid goals first and then we can help guide you in tool selection.
- So What?
Once your goals are established and action is taken, it’s now time to look at the progress. Every time data or metrics are presented, you should be asking, “So what?” What does this metric mean? What does it tell us? How does it add value or show movement on the business goals? “How” and “where” the data came from is not enough. It is the “what” and “why” that brings the real insight. Thinking about the “so what” will help you determine if your efforts are successful.
Sometimes metrics can be tricky – don’t be afraid to ask your PR team to provide definitions for metrics, so you can understand the value it brings. Ultimately, the metrics should deliver something of importance.
- Dashing Dashboards
Dashboards are becoming a desirable reporting tool, but what should they show?
A dashboard is an opportunity to take data and let it tell a story. It’s not just a collection of numbers and metrics thrown together, but a display of how we are reaching the organization’s goals. Something to point out – a dashboard is not a catchall; it should have a clear, unified message.
- The Future of PR Measurement
I’m going to take this last point in a bit of a different direction. During the PR Measurement Conference, one session solely focused on the future of PR measurement.
A hot topic in the tech industry is big data, and it is impacting PR too. With so much data becoming available, it’s becoming important for PR professionals to understand the technology and tools we use at a deeper level. A movement towards a more tech-savvy communications professional is on the way. Here at Interprose we are not afraid of embracing change. As a seasoned company, we will continue to explore new tools and expand our offerings to help serve our clients better.
It was valuable to take a day and just focus on PR measurement because at the end of the day, it’s all about showing movement on goals.
If you are a business or organization in need of some help in achieving your goals, Interprose offers a wide variety of PR and marketing services to assist you in just that. Check out our website to learn a little more about what we do and contact us today!
