Set Objectives for Your Measurement Success

PR professionals are always looking for ways to measure their PR efforts. So below we give you a tip that can help you put your measurment needs in perspective.

â–¶ Set objectives. You would be hard-pressed to find a measurement aficionado whose first step wouldn’t involve setting objectives.

According to Ilene Smith, vice president and associate director of Ketchum North America’s Food & Nutrition practice, this can be done by asking yourself/your department the following questions in the context of the organization/client, not the specific campaign:

• What are you trying to achieve (outputs, outcomes, ROI)?

• Is there a hidden goal?

• Is achieving objectives realistic, particularly via PR?

• Will you be measured against PR standards, or against other marketing disciplines?

• What is the best way to reach your goal, and do you have the budget to get there?

Then, based on the answers, she identifies another set of questions to help you home in on the best procedures:

• What is most important for you to measure?

• What do you mean by ROI?

• What are the business goals of the program?

• What are you accountable for, and to whom?

• What resources do you already have in place that will produce measures?