How to Create a PR Campaign Book

Research the most successful PR methods for your client to attract its target audience.

Creating a PR campaign book is usually the last step in a PR campaign---and is frequently the project used by colleges and management courses to allow students to show what they have learned. The secret to building a successful PR campaign book is to listen to instructions. Make sure you deliver what the client, or your lecturer, wants.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Printer

Instructions

1. Do your research. Look at the company and its aims, and identify its unique selling point. Read any documentation you can find online, such as annual reports, and talk to employees. Research until you know your organization inside out, and can easily identify its target market and aims.

2. Explore how a PR campaign could help the company. For example, if there is a new product or a new brand, advertising could help raise awareness. The organization could be launching an online presence, and will need to be found by its audience.

3. Identify any potential problems. If the economy is poor, for example, this could impact sales. Does the client have any bad aspects? For example, if the business has a connection with cigarettes, some customers may refuse to patronize it on moral grounds. Carefully consider any celebrity ambassadors, as well.

4. Do market research. If you have time, speak to members of the target audience, or put an online survey together and ask them to complete it. If you do not have time to conduct and analyse primary data, look for secondary data: recent studies or information on the target audience and their current status.

5. Produce an aim. If your client wants an online presence, for example, make an aim that you will have a certain number of views or followers before the deadline. You could also make an aim based on percentages---for example, having 40 percent of your target audience involved in your online presence in some way.

6. Write how you will achieve this aim, split into strategies and goals. For example, having a business Facebook page will increase a company's online presence. Using Facebook to connect to your target audience is the strategy; having a completed Facebook page could be a goal. Another goal could be to keep this page regularly updated.

7. Make samples for your book. Gather screenshots of the client's website, Facebook and Twitter pages. Print out an example of a poster the client could display, or ads it might run in relevant magazines. Include any events or sponsorship deals.

8. Put all of your information together. You'll need a cover page, a contents page, and then specific sections (Research, Aims, Samples and others) typed up neatly, in the same page format. Include any relevant graphs or information, and ensure there is a timeline of when you plan to launch different things---when will you use the flyers, or plan the event?

Tips & Warnings

• Use graphs and color to keep the project easy to read, but do not use too much---your project needs a professional image.

• Make sure you only choose PR strategies that are suitable for your target audience. Keep your research close to you, and read it regularly to keep you focused.

References

• "The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use Social Media, Blogs, News Releases, Online Video, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly"; David Meerman Scott; 2010
• "Develop Your PR Skills"; Neil Richardson and Lucy Laville; 2010