Week 10: Strategy, Planning an scheduling/ Tactics in Public Relations

Seeing as I did this weeks readings last week, I have done those readings this week!! Sorry to confuse!!
The biggest point I took away from this weeks readings was the difference bewteen a strategy and a tactic. A strategy is overarching plan while tactics are the tools used to achieve that plan.
Both chapters clearly outlined what a strategy and tactics were and how their signifigance to the PR practicioner
Chapter 7 was about strategy and there were alot of key points in both readings this week. Chapter 7 pointed out that it is essential we "think and practice strategically".
It also noted that there are oarticular stages of strategic process in PR:
-Create and organisational vision and mission statement
-create public relations vision and mission statement
-establish performance indicators
-budget
-write a strategic public relations plan
-schedule public relations plan activities

An organisational strategy "includes all aspects of coordinating and planning intellectual and physical skills in order to best position oneself, or the organisation,for the long term purpose at hand."
Public relations strategy "recognises the casue and effect relationship between our communication activities and the achievement of the organisation's mission."

It is important to note from this chapter that strategy is not a series on campaign steps of tactics. Its is the underlying ratinale that guides selection of these tactics or signs.

A key learning point for me was that a practitioners first strategic move may be to inform management of the importance of strategic public relations. The key message here is that we cannot shape of develop an strategy without influence or control over it and is able to ensure it is understood by all publics. We all so need to consider communication with all target groups (employees, local community, sponsors etc) when strategies are designed.
Strategic plans are often created in similar way to business plan:
1: Executive summary
2: the communication process
3: Background
4: Situation analysis
5: Main message statement
6: Stakeholders
7: Messages for key stakeholders
8: Implementation
9: Budget
10: Monitoring and evaluation

Lists are important to identify every step of the public relations process and prevent us from forgetting something. Checklists should be used for everyhting from planning an event to sending out a media release. It is a way to maintain organistation.

A strategy is overarching plan while tactics are the tools used to achieve that plan.
Most tactics are visible but sometimes we will need to use tactics to keep out of the spotlight rather than in it. It is important to remember that society is bombarded with messages everyday and they tend to not pay attention to or trust the messenger. This makes it important that we carefully consider the tactics to be used before enaging them.
Tactics can be broken into tow major groups: controlled and uncontrolled.
Controlled tactics: "are those over which the public relations practitioner maintains control of every aspect of the process" e.g. advertising
Uncontrolled tactics: "are those that can be altered or even blocked completely" e.g. media relations where the decision to include or ommitt certain pieces of a media release lies not with the PR practioner but with the journalist.
There are also numerous methods of delivery to be taken into consideration and plays a crucial role in determining the impact and effectiveness of a tactic. These include:
Mail: comparatively slow but allows for bulkier items to be delivered. (for example a media kit)Also ensures recipient is likely to recieve it not just picked up by anyone.
Faxes: offer instananeous communication and ideal for short messages. These can be lost at times or buried amoungst other faxes
News Distribution agencies: send media releases on behalf of an organisation and ensures targeted delivery
Email: instantaneous and good to get message directly to adressee. Can get lost amoungst other emails or filtered in to "junk mail"
CD-ROMs: easy-to-deliver information package. Less likely to be thrown into the bin than paper.
Couriers: good to use when large amounts of information needs to be delivered ugently.
Videos: Ideal for delivering information needed to be portrayed visually
Webistes: enable copious amounts of information to be dispersed globally.

The reading also made obvious that media relations need to be handled carefully as it is an uncontrolled tactic. A key point to consider is: does the media release have the potential to turn negative?
I learnt from this reading too that it important to be consistent when using printed media. Keeping in line with a company's layout formula, type face and including logos will help give a sense of organisation and professionalism.
There were many, MANY other points in this reading to consider when selecting tactics (like what color paper/font to use etc).
The main thing I took away from this reading was that we don't select tactics randomly. We consider the strategy and select tactics that are most likely to achieve the desired outcome. We need to think carefully about the type of tactic used, the moved of delivery and how it's presented. These are all things that will determine success or failure.
Both readings helped build on my knowledge of strategy and tactics as I knew both were essential to public relations but I can now tell the difference between the two and have outlined what I feel are the key things to consider or remember about both.

References: Chapters 7 and 8 – Strategy, Planning and Scheduling/Tactics in Public relations: theory and practice / edited by Jane Johnston and Clara Zawawi. Crows Nest, N.S.W. Allen & Unwin, 2004. 2nd ed