This document provides guidance on developing a public relations strategy through a step-by-step process: 1) Briefing the client to understand objectives, target audiences, and key issues. 2) Conducting research and analysis of products, markets, competitors and communications status. 3) Developing conclusions and refining objectives based on findings. 4) Identifying target audiences and developing a positioning statement to differentiate from competitors and focus communications.

1. PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY. THE COOKBOOK
© Thomas W. Apitzsch
PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY
THE COOKBOOK
A comprehensive handbook for the Public Relations practitioner.
© Thomas W. Apitzsch, Jakarta, 2005
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2. PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY. THE COOKBOOK
© Thomas W. Apitzsch
Briefing.
Briefing derives from ‘brief’ = short, precise: MINUTES OF MEETING:
Collecting the facts and figures.
What does your client want you to do for him?
What does he need? Which problem does he want you to solve and
what is he expecting you to do?
What are -in the client’s opinion- the relevant settings, the relevant
informations?
Client’s philosophy/ company culture / mission/ vision?
Market and competition?
Marketing- and Sales objectives?
Status of communications?
What products / services / customers?
Do’s and don’ts: Listen! Ask, don’t presume. Write down, what you
hear. Clarify what you don’t understand.
Summarize -in brief- what you should do - the task- and thank the
client for the opportunity to work for him!
“The task for the agency is to propose a communication concept/
campaign to: .......”
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3. PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY. THE COOKBOOK
© Thomas W. Apitzsch
Briefing.Research.Analysis.
If necessary do a ‘re-briefing’ -e.g. telephone call- to check for valid- Research:
ity and plausibility of the briefing!
Do your own RESEARCH:
Analysis:
internet, archives, media, books etc., consider a short “market-
feedback” (handycam-interviewing customers).
A. product/service:
Watch out for any risk issues that might occur (be prepared then!).
B. target groups (customers):
ANALYSIS:
selecting the relevant facts and putting them in useful, logic catego-
ries (and thus preparing for the next step, the conclusions). C. competitor (market):
Be objective, don’t make assumptions, do not evaluate!
“Be a doctor doing the anamnesis.”, “dividing a whole into its parts” D. the company (client)
E. communication status (current)
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4. PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY. THE COOKBOOK
© Thomas W. Apitzsch
Briefing.Research.Analysis.Conclusions.
CONCLUSIONS: SWAT template:
What are the findings? (“Doctor, what is it?”)
Putting the facts into logical relations by either:
listing them in a SWAT template
or putting them in logical relations using terms like: ________________________________________________________________
“ .... but ...”, Conclusions:
“on one hand..., on the other hand...”
“..... but ...”
Rephrase the task of the agency again and more precisely according “On one hand...., on the other hand...”
to your conclusions!
“...., therefore...”
Sometimes the task of the agency may have changed drastically be-
cause of new findings and conclusions! ________________________________________________________________
The task for the agency is to... a
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5. PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY. THE COOKBOOK
© Thomas W. Apitzsch
Briefing.
Research.
Objectives.
Analysis.
Conclusions.
“Rome must be destroyed!”, Hannibal, African Imperator
Before you consider the right strategy and the appropriate actions
(Hannibal choose elephants as a strategy and took them over the
Alps as action), you have to define the desired outcome of your ac-
tivities 1:
Communications objectives:
OBJECTIVES describe the accomplished result of the communica-
tions. They are time definite. They do not describe the way to do it!
-avoid wording like “by..”, “through...”.
60%..... in 3 months
OBJECTIVES are:
measurable 2 (%, time period, quantity, quality)
explicit and precise, challenging but attainable, (ethical) ... sales in ...x time.
acceptable by your client (not opposite their general mission state-
ments / business strategy)
30% more ....
categories: affect on awareness, acceptance, action or long-, mid-,
short term results
getting x... positive feedback on ...
.....
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6. PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY. THE COOKBOOK
© Thomas W. Apitzsch
Briefing.
Research.
Objectives.Target Groups.
Analysis.
Conclusions.
To whom (= TARGET GROUPS) are you going to communicate/’speak’ to?3 Target Groups to communicate to:
Consider all persons/groups of these categories:
Public interest groups (persons sharing a common interest, which they
The Key Target Groups (relevant, most important) of these are:
manifest in public)
Interest groups (persons sharing a common interest /lifestyle, which they
do not manifest in public)
...
Socio-demographic target groups (defined by gender, occupation, house-
hold income, education, etc.)
Dialogue groups (person to person, internet-chats, persons at the POS etc.)
Whom will you address to communicate/’speak’ for you?
...
Media (TV, Newspaper, Magazines, Broadcast, Web, Special Interest...)
Celebrities (real ones and ‘artificial figures’-cartoon/Marlboro Man)
Professionals (authority and credibility)
Opinion leaders (trusted influencers)
.
Fashion Leader / Trendsetter (creating trends to be followed by others)
Secret decision makers (‘men choose the car, women choose the color’)
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7. PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY. THE COOKBOOK
© Thomas W. Apitzsch
Briefing.
Research. Where
Objectives.Target Groups.Positioning. is the
Analysis. beef?
Conclusions.
A POSITIONING is the plot (sum) of all messages to the target groups.
Messages are what the target groups should think (perception).
A POSITIONING is the description of a secure position in the mind of the
target groups. It is a USP of a company, organization, product or project.
A POSITIONING focuses on the differentiation from the competitors. It gives
Positioning:
“the reason why” the target groups should believe. A Positioning is a
promise. 4
.....the one and only....
A POSITIONING is not a slogan/claim! It is an internal decision, not an
advertisement/public statement. it will do/be this.... and that... (special benefits for the target groups)
Note: If you do not define a positioning the market (the target groups) will Explanation: (differentiation)
do!
The perception of the key target groups:
Target group A will think:
....
Target group B will think:
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8. PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY. THE COOKBOOK
© Thomas W. Apitzsch
Briefing.
Research.
Objectives.Target Groups.Positioning.Strategy.
Analysis.
Conclusions.
The STRATEGY is the way to achieve the communications objec- Examples / explanations:
tives and transport the messages to the target groups in an effective
process. To find the best strategy and design the according action
plan is a creative planning process.
Strategemes and proven strategic principles 5:
1) e.g. give away something for free to get into the market (“Troja”
-the wooden horse as a present to conquer the city)
1) “To hide the knife behind a smile”
2) communicate something so others are forced to react (“chancel-
2) “To beat on grass to chase up the snakes” lor Schröder/SBY is coloring his white hairs...”)
3) “To visibly repair the bridge and secretly walk to Jakarta” 3) give the impression to go a way, but will choose another (“Steve
Jobs, dealing with IBM in public, but surprisingly choose Intel proc-
4) “Making something out of nothing” essors for his computers)
5) “To kill with someone’s else knife” 4) creating something ‘new’ and ‘exciting’ out of nothing
6) “If you want to catch something, you have to release it first” 5) put someone else -e.g. the competitor- in suspicion to distract
from yourself
7) “To lure the tiger into open field”
6) instead of pushing someone to do something, lead him to do it as
his own decision
7) let the competition go into unknown territory first
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9. PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY. THE COOKBOOK
© Thomas W. Apitzsch
Briefing.
Research.
Objectives.Target Groups.Positioning.Strategy.
Analysis.
Conclusions.
8) “ The rucksack/backpack strategy” 8) put your topic - the backpack- onto a bigger topic to communicate
-carry- it. (“a restaurant offering a 50s Jakarta anniversary din-
ner”)
9) “The alliance / cooperation strategy”
9) communicating the topic with partners (“the beverage industry
about environmental issues”, win-win situation)
10) “Lightest resistance strategy” 10) communicate with the target groups which are most affine /
’open’ to the topic (“kids target moms for sweets, dads for com-
puter”)
11) “The testimonial strategy” 11) using widely known and trusted spokespersons (e.g. celebs) to
communicate the topic
12) targeting the top hierarchical level to influence the lower levels
12) “The top-down-strategy” (“the doctor - he will influence the nurse”)
13) targeting the lower hierarchical level to influence the higher
levels (“the nurse to tell the doctor”)
13) “The bottom-up-strategy”
“think, mix and burn!”: all strategies may be used in combinations
and variations to fit your communications needs! Be creative!
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10. PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY. THE COOKBOOK
© Thomas W. Apitzsch
Briefing. Objektives.
Research. Target Groups.
Actions.
Analysis. Positioning.
Conclusions. Strategy.
“The Drama begins!” Action: “TITLE”
Now it’s time to plan effective actions to accomplish the ob- Objective:
jectives.
Target group(s):
All activities should be appropriate to and in accordance to
the target groups and the chosen strategy. Activity:
Use effective communications channels and carefully select,
who will get your message across (e.g. spokesperson, celebs,
sport idols...).
Make sure your communications will reach the target groups
not only once (which will be forgotten quite soon), but peri-
odically over a given timeframe (e.g. year). Make sure your
voice will be heard (and not that of the competition...)!
“Think of holidays!”: take into account holidays and seasonal
festivities Date/Time:
Responsibility:
Budget:
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