Using Research to Drive Client Communications Projects Forrest

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 n n MBA and BM – writing programs with no information 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 doesn’t know (discovery) Organize something client knows in a new, useful way (integration and insight)

What I’ll Talk About What’s useful to know How it can fit together How to find it

What’s Useful to Know Business Environment Client Target Audience

The Client What should we know?

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

The Target Audience What should we know?

The Target Audience What should we know? n n How develop messages and communications tactics? Interests Activities Beliefs Lifestyle, life-stage Language 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? n n Physical environment Economic environment Macro Competition n Regulatory/legislative environment Technological environment Socio-cultural environment Trends and issues

How It Can Fit Together

Communications Model Business Environment Client Target Audience

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 What’s 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 client’s 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 what’s in their heads – Understand best ways to reach them u Demonstrate you understand the clientinternal 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 client’s 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 n n n Library Online Client/employer Primary n n Qualitative (focus groups, dyads, triads, oneon-one interviews) Quantitative (surveys)

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

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

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

Some Secondary Resources General news coverage n n Google Bing News services n n Lexis. Nexis Dow Jones Factiva

Things to Remember Discovery Integration Planning information n Client/Employer Target audience Business environment

Questions?