This presentation on evaluating public relations campaigns is an excerpt from a presentation conducted by Shrita Sterlin of Penn Strategies. Shrita conducted this presentation at a forum held by the Center for Nonprofit Success on November 3, 2011 in Washington, DC. The presentation explores best practices for creating data-driven public relations campaigns in nonprofit organizations; provides tips for quantifying social change efforts; and demonstrates ways to measure the process and results of public relations campaigns.

1. Evaluating Public Relations Campaigns
Center for Nonprofit Success
Leadership Series
November 3, 2011
Presented by: Shrita D. Sterlin
www.pennstrategies.com

2. Why Evaluate PR?
• Measure results against stated objectives
• Determine observable impact
• Document resources and efforts
• Improve future campaigns and programs

3. Sample Evaluation Checklist
• Did the organization achieve its objectives?
• Was PR campaign/program within budget?
• Did PR campaign/program reach desired
audience(s)?
• Did audience(s) understand message(s)?

4. Sample PR Evaluation Process
Define Issue or Incorporate
Write Report
Opportunity Feedback
Establish Present
Gather Data
Objectives Findings
Outline Prepare Case
Assess Data
Approach Study

5. Setting Campaign Objectives
• First and last step of PR evaluation
• Set SMART Objectives
(Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-oriented, Time-
specific)
• Incorporate assessments at regular intervals
• Begin with the end in mind

6. Sample Campaign Objectives
• Communications objective
– Increase awareness of ABC Nonprofit’s
program in local communities
• Marketing objective
– Increase overall individual donations by 10%
by the end of the fiscal year

7. Evaluation Approach
Inputs Outputs Relationships
Activities Outcomes

8. Evaluation Approach
Inputs Activities Outputs Outcomes
&
Relationships
Staff/volunteers Events, writing PSAs air Audience, sees, reads
time and hears ads and
PR, marketing, Collateral ispromotions
Resources, advertising and created and
equipment, related functions disseminated Audience learns more
space about campaign
• SMM
• Email Marketing Audience adopts
• Social Media favorable attitude
• Press Releases
• PSA Audience supports,
• Collateral volunteers or donates

9. Sources of Data

10. Gathering Data
• Internal data: Info from inside organization
• External data: Info from outside organization
• Qualitative: Gain insights, not generalizable
• Quantitative: Hard data, generalizable

11. Gathering Data
INTERNAL EXTERNAL
• Accounting records • Benchmark studies
• Donor records • Focus groups
• Timesheet records • Event attendance records
• Surveys
– Online surveys
– Email surveys
– Mail surveys
(e.g., donor materials)

12. Gathering Data
INTERNAL EXTERNAL
• Surveys • Social media mentions
• Staff/Board Interviews • Interviews
– Telephone, in person, • Media impressions
onsite, computer-assisted
• Mail panel
• Website analytics
• Digital analysis

13. Gathering Data
Data Tools Basic Moderate Advanced Time Effort
Record tracking • L
Interviews • H
Surveys and questionnaires • • • M
Focus groups • M
Social media traffic monitoring • L
Website analytics • L
Mail panel • H
Benchmark Studies • M
Digital analysis • M
LEGEND: Time Effort High (H), Medium (M), Low (L)

14. Evaluating Data
• Actions: inputs and outputs
• Results: outcomes and impact
• Which is most important?

15. Evaluating Data
Actions Actions
VERSUS
Results Results

16. Evaluating Data
• Both are important
• If you do not measure actions, it can
be difficult to duplicate your impact.

17. Evaluating Data
Advanced
Measuring change in attitude, action or opinion (e.g., increased/decreased donations)
Intermediate
Measuring recall, awareness and favorability or reception
Basic
Measuring widgets: audiences, media impressions, media interviews, website traffic,
number of press releases, Facebook fans or Twitter followers

18. Evaluating Message Exposure
• Media Impressions
• Internet Traffic
• SMS, Email & Social Media Messages
• Audience Attendance

19. Evaluating Audience AAA
• Examine level of exposure. Are there changes?
Actions
Attitudes
Awareness

20. Preparing the Report
INPUTS ACTIVITIES OUTPUTS OUTCOMES
RELATIONSHIPS
Was the plan How were the Did audiences Did audiences
research-based? target audiences receive messages? understand messages?
engaged?
Did the campaign What were the Was campaign
structure hurt or Were the tactics, tangible results successful?
hinder progress? communications (number of
vehicles, supporters, What are the lessons
Were audiences, subscribers, fans, and opportunities?
stakeholders and collateral and traffic and
target audiences timing aligned? impressions)? Describe changes in
engaged? audience reactions,
behaviors and opinions
toward organization?

21. Penn Strategies
www.pennstrategies.com