Managing PR: 10 steps to creating a PR capability within your organisation

published 2005

If, after reading PR Influences, you are convinced that the time has arrived for you to consider adding a PR capability to your organisation here are some guidelines about how to go about making a case and winning support internally.

1. Determine a key business reason.
   You need to establish a business case. Is it for marketing support? Are there stakeholder considerations? Is there a specific business event that demands it? Is there a time related reason why now is the right time? Make your case as specific and targeted as possible.

2. Find an internal champion.
   This is key. Without someone of influence or authority internally it will be an uphill battle - and the higher up the organisational tree the better. You need to identify that person, confide in them and take their advice about how to progress your case. As well as have them advocate the cause!
   
3. Play the Competitor Card.
   Assuming your competitors are using PR you need to dissect their PR efforts and show how it has given them a competitive advantage. Where-ever possible quantify specific actions and outcomes. But don’t be afraid to also play to egos eg: “Look how competitor A’s Managing Director gets more media than ours”.
   
4. Focus on results.
   You need to demonstrate the specific results that PR will bring. So do your research. Decide what is most appropriate to your organisation and your management and work up your case. 
   
5. Provide Third Party Evidence.
   Do your research and gather as much information about PR and its benefits as possible.  Include in your ‘case’ examples from both Australia and overseas where PR that is related to your proposition has worked. If possible include some actual award winning case studies.
   
6. Determine structure and process.
   Will you run this internally or with the help of an agency? What business model or structure will work best? Examine how your organisation runs and what its culture is. Most importantly determine who PR will report to!
   
7. Decide how you will implement.
   If PR is new to the organisation then you have two choices - hire a specialist PR person to a newly created position or use an agency. Most organisations starting out - unless they have a large need and a big budget - choose the agency option.  If that’s so you need to begin a search for a PR agency - one that has the skills, experience and knowledge to handle your specific tasks. But it will also need to be prepared to work with you to ‘get PR up’ within your organisation.
   
8. Work out how much.
   First you need to balance three factors - how much money an agency will cost, how much internal budget will be required and how much the organisation can reasonably afford. Then you need to do the hard work - determine where the budget you need can come from. This may mean you recommending that money currently spent in certain areas be diverted to PR. And that will take you into politics!
   
9. Include strategy & planning in the process.
   Selling the concept is one thing. But be sure you have a process to develop strategy and prepare a plan as soon as you get the go ahead. Put this as part of a very identifiable part of your proposition. Unless you do, your PR will die on the vine.
   
10. Get buy in.
    Don’t rely just on your ‘champion’ to get you over-the-line. Make sure you get buy-in throughout the process from those who may stand to benefit from the use of PR. Not only as you ‘sell’ PR into the organisation - but especially in the first twelve months.