Unleashing the Power of PR: A Contrarians Guide to Marketing and Communication

Now You Can Unleashthe Power of PR in Your Organization

"As communication professionals have evolved from tacticians to strategists, measurement has grown from a series of random ideas and steps to a science that has a clear direction and real–world application. With each year since the development of studies like the ′Excellence′ project, new experts have developed ways to identify desired outcomes, employ proper measurement techniques, and apply their limited resources with the biggest impact. In this book, Mark Weiner applies his years of experience with Delahaye to offer case studies and analyses that break down the science of PR measurement in a way that is easy to understand and apply. The book offers a fresh and innovative approach that takes the profession one step closer to understanding and demonstrating the value of organizational communication. On behalf of IABC, I′d like to thank Mark Weiner for contributing to the communication profession by sharing his knowledge of public relations."
From the foreword, by Natasha Spring, executive editor, Communication World, and vice president, publishing and research, International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)

Foreword ix

Preface xiii

The Author xxi

Part One: The Changing Landscape of Marketing and Corporate Communication

1 New Opportunities for Marketing and Public Relations 3

2 New Challenges Facing Marketing and Public Relations 21

Part Two: Using Research to Strengthen Public Relations

3 Measuring Public Relations Programming 47

4 Setting Meaningful and Measurable Public Relations Objectives 79

5 Using Research to Shape Public Relations Strategy and Tactics 107

6 Evaluating Public Relations Programs for Continual Improvement 135

Part Three: Transforming Your Public Relations Program

7 Real Business Results: Proving and Improving PR ROI 167

8 From Concept to Reality 191

Appendixes

1 Delahaye Executive Audit 201

2 Delahaye Media Demographic Audit 215

3 Delahaye Journalist Audit 229

Index 237

About the International Association of Business Communicators 248

MARK WEINER is president of Delahaye, the world s most prestigious provider of public relations research, analysis, and consulting. After its founding in 1994 as Medialink Research, the firm acquired The Delahaye Group in 1999, adopted its name, and then became Delahaye in its current form. Delahaye is based in Norwalk, Connecticut, with offices in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Chicago, Illinois; Washington, D.C.; and London, England, with affiliates around the world. The firm provides research–based consulting in areas related to public relations, marketing, and corporate reputation and employee communications, with client engagements in forty countries. Delahaye s research is used by the world s leading companies to set objectives; develop strategy; and evaluate the performance of how their communication initiatives affect the attitudes, understanding, and behaviors of their target audiences. The firm currently employees a hundred researchers and analysts, who provide a range of attitudinal research, traditional and new media content analysis, and statistical modeling services.
Since he entered the field in 1986, Weiner has been a frequent conference speaker and a regular contributor to leading professional journals, sitting on the editorial advisory boards of PRSA s Strategist and PR News. In addition, he was the 2004 chair of the Measurement Commission of the Institute for Public Relations. He is a member of the International Association of Business Communicators, the Public Relations Society of America, and the Institute for Public Relations. Before public relations, Weiner was an editor and syndicated newspaper columnist with the McNaught Newspaper Syndicate after starting his career with the New York Times News Service.

Weiner has left no stone unturned here; issues relating to audits, return on investment, new media and shifting objectives are brought forth. While that might seem very technical, Weiner′s language is user–friendly and he carefully explains every aspect of the subject to avoid confusion. Weiner′s observations are peerless and his considerations set a new standard for the field.
Mark Hall on Timessquare.com