Using Research to Drive Client Communications Projects Forrest W. Anderson Independent Consultant Stakeholder Relationship Research, Insight and Strategy Founding Member of IPR Commission on PR Measurement and Evaluation

Research and Communications Thinking about what might be useful to you My background MBA and BM – writing programs with no information MBA and BM – writing programs with no information RD at GH – how research could add value, make agency more competitive RD at GH – how research could add value, make agency more competitive Developed strategic planning process Based on research and insight

Research Perspective Bring something client doesnt know (discovery) Organize something client knows in a new, useful way (integration and insight)

What Ill Talk About Whats useful to know How it can fit together How to find it

Whats Useful to Know Client Target Audience Business Environment

The Client What should we know?

The Client What should we know? Business goals, strategies Business goals, strategies Business opportunities, threats Business opportunities, threats Client strengths and weaknesses Client strengths and weaknesses Communications goals, strategies Communications goals, strategies Target audiences Target audiences Behavior client seeks from target audience Insight into business environment Insight into business environment Why they called Why they called

The Target Audience What should we know?

The Target Audience What should we know? How develop messages and communications tactics? How develop messages and communications tactics?InterestsActivitiesBeliefs Lifestyle, life-stage Language How determine media channels? How determine media channels? How they gather information What sources most credible

The Business Environment What should we know?

The Business Environment What should we know? Physical environment Physical environment Economic environment Economic environmentMacroCompetition Regulatory/legislative environment Regulatory/legislative environment Technological environment Technological environment Socio-cultural environment Socio-cultural environment Trends and issues

How It Can Fit Together

Communications Model Client Target Audience Business Environment

Why Do I Need All This Stuff? u Can we really communicate what the client wants to say to the target audience? –Believable? –Persuasive? –Intelligible? (In audience language?) u Should the message be what the audience wants to hear? –Express client offering or position? –Carry client message?

Why Do I Need All This Stuff? u Whats the most credible and effective medium? –Newspaper? –Radio? –Word of mouth? –Presentation? –Internet –Website –Blog

Why Do I Need All This Stuff? u Is there anything happening in the world that I can use to my clients advantage –Social issues? –Technological trends? –Strength or weakness of economy?

Why Do I Need All This Stuff? u Is there anything happening that poses a challenge? –Competitive entries? –Reg/leg initiatives? –Green environmental issues?

What Does Research-Based Thinking Do?

Support Client Business Objectives u Demonstrate you understand business objectives u Demonstrate you have identified the right target audience –Understand whats in their heads –Understand best ways to reach them u Demonstrate you understand the client- internal and external trends and issues likely to affect communication

Develop the Most Effective Message u Carry client message/point of view u Use arguments and language believable and appealing to target audience u Target media that reaches audience and is credible

Engage the Business Environment u Identify trends and issues that can carry your clients message u Obamacare u Federal government gridlock u Gun regulation u MOOCs

Engage the Business Environment u Identify and prepare for trends and issues that might have a negative effect

How To Find It (Research Techniques)

Research Techniques Secondary Library Library Online Online Client/employer Client/employerPrimary Qualitative (focus groups, dyads, triads, one- on-one interviews) Qualitative (focus groups, dyads, triads, one- on-one interviews) Quantitative (surveys) Quantitative (surveys)

Some Secondary Resources The library Investment analyst reports on industry and competitors Investment analyst reports on industry and competitors Value Line Morningstar Industry analyst reports Industry analyst reports Online data bases (San Francisco PL) Online data bases (San Francisco PL)

Some Secondary Resources SEC filings (EDGAR) Annual report Annual report Management discussion Accountants notes CEO/Management message to shareholders Client and competitor websites Client and competitor websites Corporate descriptions/positioning Product/service descriptions/positionings

Some Secondary Resources The client Market Research Market Research Data bases Data bases Investor and industry analyst reports Investor and industry analyst reports Business plan Business plan Marketing plan Marketing plan Competitive analyses Competitive analyses Stakeholder surveys Stakeholder surveys

Some Secondary Resources General news coverage Google Google Bing Bing News services LexisNexis LexisNexis Dow Jones Factiva Dow Jones Factiva

Things to Remember DiscoveryIntegration Planning information Client/Employer Client/Employer Target audience Target audience Business environment Business environment

Questions?