PR Network: managing expectation of senior management, 13 November 2014

MANAGING

EXPECTATIONS

Katie RandersonCharitycomms PR Network workshop

November 2014

• Where I am now

• Where I was from 2008 – 2013

• What led me to the Panda…

• KT Consulting

• Communications & PR consultancy

in global business and third sector

Why I’m here

What does that mean..?

Managing expectations with senior management, internal clients

and journalists.

What do you want to find out this afternoon?

How do we find the answers?

The fundamentals

• What might they expect?• Lots of media coverage

• All with our name and key messages

• When and how we want it

• …

• But what does ‘PR’ mean?• Media (earned, owned) (bought)

• Events and promotions

• Digital and social media

• Reputation and audience relationships

• …

• And what’s newsworthy?

Understand where we add value

Comms & PR

Marketing

Fundraising

Mission

Use communicators’ skills

Define your

target audience

• What motivates them?

• What do they need to

deliver?

• The Mission?

• Funds?

• Influence?

• Plan what you want them to

Think

Feel

Do…

Plan your route and

messaging

• Speak the same language

• Words or figures?

• Charts or papers?

• Strategies or tactics?

• Decide where and when

• Opportunities

• Frequency

• Show the benefits,

not the components

Valuing media coverage

• Combat Stressthe leading Veterans’ mental health charity

• 95th anniversary on 2 May 2014• Traditional media + online Thunderclap based on statistics news

• >986 articles across print and broadcast mediaincluding Radio 4 Today and PM + 720 further broadcast media itemsThe Guardian front/page 2 feature and 33 further print articles. Audience reach >3 million plus ‘Thunderclap’ reaching 2 million+ online, with website hits, donations (£ ) and Helpline calls ( Veteran support).

• Newsnight feature in September 2014• Independent film and interview in response

• Clarifying and positioning the role of communications and media.

Managing positives and negatives

• “no-one’s heard of us”

• “we didn’t know it was

coming”

• “I don’t do the internet”

• “that was last month,

what’s next?”

• “I thought I’d better

mention …”

• “it was good that we

kept everyone in the

loop”

• “we need to do more

of that”

Global event, local delivery

• WWF’s Earth Hour

Building the case for support

• In 2008, a Board-level mandate but little internal prioritisation

• Building excitement and internal engagement• Getting everyone involved (or nearly)

• A cross-divisional steering group

• And integrated delivery teams

• Finding the right targets (KPIs) for different audiences

• Climate change mandate - influence

• Brand awareness and public engagement through promotions

• PR programme, outside the usual press office remit

• ? Fundraising

• BUT a long-term strategy, still evolving after five years.

The consultant’s approach

Ask the experts

Don’t over-promise

Find alternatives

More positives, fewer

negatives

Create a central idea

Monitor, evaluate,

adjust

News value

• Timing

• Significance/impact

• Proximity

• Prominence

• Human interest

• Drama

• Adding value

• Financial

• Readership and reach

• Conversations

• Influence

• Engagement

• Behaviour change

•Innovation

Top tips

1. Mind your language; actions and words

2. Know your audience

3. Choose your tools

4. Sell the benefits, not the features

5. Show why stories matter (what has impact for them)

6. Evaluate and demonstrate success - or solutions

7. Get them involved

8. Internal PR

Further resources: charitycomms.org.uk/dealing-with-ceos-who-don-t-understand-the-media

Charitycomms

Q & AThanks for your interest and feedback

Katie Randerson

[email protected]

Charitycomms 13.11.14

Visit the CharityComms website to view

slides from past events, see what

events we have coming up and to

check out what else we do.

www.charitycomms.org.uk

PR Network

13 November 2014

London

#charityPR

PR Network

Managing expectations

of senior management