Public Relations Strategic Planning PHASE III ANALYZING THE PUBLICS

Analyzing the Publics Identifying Publics Analyzing Publics

Analyzing the Publics Identifying Publics  Basic Planning  Who are the major publics for your organization?  Who are the key publics for this situation?  Who are the major opinion leaders for these publics?  Expanded Planning  Customers  Producers  Enablers  Limiters  Intercessory Publics and Opinion Leaders  Key Publics

Identifying Publics Expanded Planning o Customers  Who are your primary customers?  Who are your secondary customers (who use the products or services of your primary customers)?  How have your customers changed within the last three years or likely to change in the next three? o Producers  Who produces your service/product?  Who provides your organization with services and materials?  Who provides money?  How have your producers changed within the last three years?  How are your producers likely to change within the next three years?

Identifying Publics  Enablers  Who are opinion leaders among your customers?  Who are your colleagues?  Who are your regulators and how have they helped you within the last three years?  What media are available to you?  How have the media helped you in the last three years?  Limiters  Who are your competitors?  Who are your opponents?  What type of opponents are they advocates (for something), dissidents (against something), activists (seeking something), or zealots (single-minded and potentially aggressive)?  Who can stop you or slow you down?  How have your limiters changed within the last three years or likely to change?

Identifying Publics  Intercessory Publics and Opinion Leaders  What publics are in a position of influence with your key publics?  How likely is it that they will speak for your organization's position?  Who are formal opinion leaders for elected and/or appointed government officials and how likely are they to speak in your favor?  Who are informal opinion leaders for family, neighborhood, occupational, religious, ethnic, or community leaders and how likely are they to speak in your favor?  Who are vocal activists on this issue?  How close is their position on this issue vis-a-vis the organization's and how likely are they to speak in your favor?  Key Publics  From the information gathered so far select several groups as your public. These become your key publics as your address this issue.

Analyzing Publics Basic Planning  What is the nature and type of each key public?  What are the major wants, interests, needs and expectations of each public?  What benefits can you offer this public? Expanded Planning  Characteristics of each Key Public re: Issue  Characteristics of each Key Public re: Organization  Communication Characteristics of each Key Public  Demographic/Psychographic Characteristics of each Key Public  Benefits

Analyzing Publics  Characteristics of each Key Public: The Issue  What does this key public know about this issue?  What does this public think about this issue?  What does this public want or not want on this issue?  What does this public need on this issue?  What problems does this public have related to this issue?  What does this public expect from the organization vis-a-vis this issue?  How free does this public see itself to act on this issue?

Analyzing Publics  Characteristics of each Key Public: Organization or its Product/Service  How does or how might the key public affect your organization?  How does or how might your organization affect this public?  What does this public know about your organization and how accurate is this information?  What does this public think about your organization and how satisfied are you with this attitude?  What does this public expect from your organization?  How much loyalty does this public have for your organization?  How organized or ready for action on this issue is this public?  How influential does this public see itself with the organization?  How influential does the organization see this public?

Analyzing Publics  Communication Characteristics of each Key Public  What personal communication channels do this public use?  What organizational media does this public pay attention to?  What news media does this public pay attention to?  What advertising or promotional media does this media pay attention to?  Is this public actively seeking information on this issue?  How likely is this public to act on information it receives?  Who are credible sources and opinion leaders for this public?

Analyzing Publics  Demographic/Psychographic Characteristics of each Key Public  Age  Geographic characteristics  Socio-economic traits  Product/service usage  Cultural/Ethnic/Religious traits  Education level  Lifestyle traits  Other relevant characteristics  Benefits  What benefit or advantage does your organization offer each public?  How does this benefit differ from the benefits available from other organizations?