What are, or were, the specific goals and/or objectives of the PR, public affairs and/or marcom program, and can these be stated in quantitative or measurable fashion? (e.g., to double the number of inquiries received from one year to the next? to have certain legislation passed? to enhance or improve brand, product or corporate image?)
Who are, or were, the principal individuals serving as spokespersons for the organization during the communications effort?
What are, or were, the principal themes, concepts and messages that the organization was interested in disseminating?
Who were the principal target audience groups to whom these message were directed?
Which specific channels of communications were used and/or deemed most important to use in disseminating the messages? (e.g., the media. word of mouth. direct mail. special events?)
What is, or were, the desired or hoped-for outputs and/or outcomes of the PR effort? If those particular hoped-for outputs and/or outcomes could, for some reason, not be met, what alternative outputs and/or outcomes would the organization be willing to accept?
Who are the organization's principal competitors? Who are their spokespersons? What are their key themes, concepts and messages that they are seeking to disseminate? Who are their key target audience groups? What channels are most frequently used?
What information is already available to the organization that can be used by those carrying out the evaluation research assignment to avoid reinventing the wheel and to build on what is already known?
What is the timeline for the PR evaluation research effort? What are the budgetary parameters and/or limitations for the assignment? Do priorities have to be set?
Who will be the ultimate recipients of the research findings?
How will whatever information that is collected be used by the organization that is commissioning the research?
Source: "Guidelines and Standards for Measuring and Evaluating PR Effectiveness," $15, Institute for PR & Education, 352/392-0280.
