Evaluation is key: finding evaluative data in strange places

Throughout units at Curtin, the importance of evaluating PR is stressed time and time again.

Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate!

Whether you're trying to measure relationships, experiences, or the specific value of media coverage, evaluating is important to the practise. Just to recap, here's why:

Image via Flickr / Creative Commons / janneke staaks

1. Gaining solid quantitative or qualitative data
2. Justifying budget and expenditure
3. Understanding real-life stakeholder perceptions

The first two tie together; when communicating the impact of PR to upper management, it's only logical to have solid data backing up your claims. This is especially relevant when justifying expenditure, proving why you deserve the current budget, or applying for a larger budget.

However, in the real world, solid data is rarely recorded from public relations activities. The team responsible know what worked and what didn't, what they'll try again soon and what they'll dump - but how they arrived at these conclusions won't be based on cold, hard facts. Instead, it'll be based on gut feeling. 

But don't despair just yet - you may find what you're looking for in strange places. Say, outside the public relations or communications department.

Being part of an organisation that is so large can be daunting. At VisAbility, which houses Guide Dogs WA (where my placement is located), the services are vast. You'll find Occupational Therapists, Assistive Technology professionals and Guide Dog Puppy trainers working under the same roof.

If you think PR is only happening within the communications team, you're sorely mistaken. A large part of PR is stakeholder relations, and the managers of each department are naturally highly attentive to their individual stakeholders' needs. 

Recently, an event run by two VisAbility social workers proved to be a fantastic PR exercise. The social workers wanted to make their clients feel special, so they organised a pampering day trip. Each client was given free spa treatments and hours to engage in issues-based dialogue within their own small community as they enjoyed free food platters, beauty masks, pedicures and therapeutic massages. The organisation sponsoring the treatments indicated a commitment to ongoing events as well as offering a generous donation. Photos were taken of everyone enjoying their days of pampering - and each was sent a survey to fill out. 

From this event, which was organised without 'official' PR input, the social workers managed to improve stakeholder relations, gain community support, create an issued-based dialogue, generate a mutually beneficial partnership and gain quantitative and qualitative data. If we hadn't looked, we might have missed it - but the perfect PR data package was sitting right under our noses. All we had to do was look in the right direction.

Stay tuned for my next (and last) blog post! It will feature a rather exciting announcement...

- Elena

Starting to Understand (What Representing Two Organisations is Like)

I'm one of those people who can't multi task. 

If my nanna were sitting here next to me, she'd make the typical comment, "you make a terrible woman," - apparently we're supposed to be multi tasking wizards.

So now that I'm identifying publicity opportunities for not just my student placement location, Guide Dogs WA, but also at a non-profit I have just volunteered for, I'm having a bit of an existential crisis.

Image via Flickr / Creative Commons / Emilien Etienne

My mind is constantly in news generating mode. It's like being stuck in a group conversation on Facebook where messages are being sent every half-second (or as fast as your inconsiderate friends can type).

News that's too late to act on, news that's happening tomorrow, follow-up stories to write in my diary for August 2016.

It's why I have such an affinity for media relations, and why I took on the role of media coordinator voluntarily for my non-profit organisation.

But after a few weeks of juggling both roles, I've realised I can only really focus on one person/group/organisation's media effectively enough to do the job justice.

Sure, I can switch from thinking about one to the other, but it's like writing half an essay then opening a new Word doc to begin the next.

Therefore I'm coming to realise that I'm a one-company woman. Having one company I can devote time to, channel my creativity into, and generally work to improve is my kind of job.

In other words, I'd be pretty pitiful interning at a PR consultancy. I bow down to everyone who is handling their placement in the consultancy environment at the moment. You amaze me.

Have a good week, everyone!


- Elena

BLOG ENTRY FOUR: CHEERS TO WHAT ONLY IS THE VERY BEGINNING

Okay, so I have no idea where the time went! How was that a month? 

I fell into the London routine very quickly and within a blink of an eye, I am on my way back to Australia on a trip that will take me almost 2 days!! I couldn’t have been more grateful for this opportunity. Not only was it life changing, but also I made the most incredible friends and relationships with my work colleagues. Not to mention the international contacts that I made. 

Our last day was a very special day, where our two bosses at The Movement took us out for champagne during our lunch break to celebrate the end of our internship!

I feel so privileged to have worked with the most amazing team and internship partner. I learnt that no matter how organised you are, things can always happen, but as long as you have a well thought-out plan, you will be able to source a solution.

I hope everyone had an enjoyable yet challenging time during his or her experience of a PR placement, it was definitely an experience I will never forget!

Emma

BLOG ENTRY THREE: SHOOT DAY

Our client who operates two bikram yoga studios throughout London, have decided the expand their company into active wear. The idea came from realising their clients were at times not wearing the correct gear when attending bikram yoga classes. This week our task was to set up and organise a photo shoot for the launch of So Hot’s range. Here’s the catch, not only are photo-shoots normally organised weeks or sometimes months in advance, but we have been given a few days to pull together two models, a make up artist, hair stylist, a studio and a photographer. On top of that not only does the client want one photo-shoot to take product shots for the online store, but he wants another photo-shoot to shoot take campaign images, on the exact same day. Talk about stress!

If we were in Perth, I would have been able to pull people from my contacts that I have worked with in previous campaigns. However, in London we don’t know anybody and no one knows us! Lucky for us we were staying in a house full of models that have a long list of contacts within that particular industry. We were then able to source a location on the outskirts of East London that provided a photographer and an editor in the package! Another issue was raised when our client informed us that he wanted models that were able to demonstrate all of the yoga poses, with the correct technical ability. Most models are not yoga professionals, so from there we turned to social media. We decided to use a part time male dancer, model and committed yogi for the shoot, and a female health and yoga blogger.  From then on, my partner and I drew up a time sheet including both shoots, scheduling who was responsible for which task. Our client then informed us he would need a stylist for the shoot, fortunately enough I work for a styling company back in Perth and was able to cut down costs by fulfilling that particular role.

After a very early start and very long day, we were extremely proud and happy with everything we accomplished in such a short period of time. We learnt that its okay to speak up when necessary and to make sure our client was happy with all decisions made by the team on the day.

Emma

Professionalism: More than Meets the Eye

"Being a professional comes naturally" is a statement said by very few people on this Earth.

I've been at my internship with Guide Dogs WA for five days over a five week period -- and I love it. It's everything I could have possibly wanted in a PR internship.

My two main supervisors are teaching me all kinds of skills: how to call clients and fundraisers, how to use the various specialised programs they're subscribed to, how to lay out an e-mail, how to generate a contact list...

It's safe to say I'm learning the kinds of necessary hands-on skills I should know as an almost graduate.

Of course, I knew I'd be flexing these skills to give them a good workout. I hadn't anticipated, however, how much my professional skill set would change over such a short space of time.

Image via ken yee / Flickr / Creative Commons

I've always assumed I was quite professional -- but I never knew 'professionalism' meant more than just dressing for the office and keeping my (hilarious) jokes to an appropriate minimum.   

The main area professionalism has shown itself recently is in client and operating confidentiality.

I love to talk about things that excite me, whether its something new I've learnt online, a random book that has fully engaged me, or an interesting insight someone has brought up in my presence.

I'm like an excited puppy (which is highly appropriate given the location of my internship), but now I'm being forced to 're-train' my reactive sharing. 

What's saved me is my ability to keep necessary private information private; what's challenged me is my expanding definition of the word 'private'. 

In a peer-to-peer situation, or personal situation, this has meant identifying delicate information which needs to be handled discreetly. Whether it's information that could harm the person (or someone else) should it be found out, or information that is just best left unsaid, the distinction between private and public handling has always been straightforward.

In an office, the distinction is much more complex.

I've been privy to exciting meetings, stories, and other insights which make me want to run around and share the fantastic news, stories, and thought processes. Knowing that information has to stay in the office is sad, but the lessons I've learnt on professionalism and discretion have been invaluable.

Regardless, I'm proud of what has been has been a very impressive show of restraint!

About to enjoy reading everyone else's blogs, so will see you in the comment sections.

- Elena 

BLOG ENTRY TWO: LADY GAGA MY NEW BEST FRIEND? #STARSTRUCK

This week has been a very very good week in particular. 

Two reasons, one: we are in London (duh), two: my partner and I have realised the exclusivity of our client’s business. After researching their current situational analysis and possible opportunities and weaknesses, we came across the list of cliental at So Hot Yoga. This included Lady GaGa, Michelle Rodriguez and Clifford Joseph Price AKA Goldie. This news turns any Monday into a good Monday, however my partner and I were set for new challenges this week.

The client’s main focus and drive this week was for an increased social media presence and following. My partner and I are working in-house representing The Movement, thus our team devised a list of possible strategies and tactics to help achieve this goal. However, this task happened to be slightly difficult when working within the wishes of our client. Despite our client wanting to achieve a goal, he wasn’t fond of the ways in which to achieve the goal, simply due to his lack of knowledge on the subject. This created set back not only in time but in progress, which we found frustrating since my partner and I were only in the UK for a limited period of time. In order to over-come this internal challenge, and in discussion with our team leader, we were able to set up a meeting with the CEO and Creative Director to explain the process with cases, illustrating the process and back up our strategies. This experience taught my partner and I never to assume.

“Don’t build roadblocks out of assumptions.”

― Lorii Myers, Targeting Success, Develop the Right Business Attitude to be Successful in the Workplace

Soon after, the CEO and Creative Director were on board. Our team was now on track and ready to go with their person social media kit that we created. Within 4 days, our client had an increase of 255 followers, with most posts receiving an increase in 150 likes. 

How is everyone else feeling after week two? Half way there!

Emma

 

BLOG ENTRY ONE: LONDON TOWN

My first blog post ever! 

My name is Emma Ferguson; I am Journalism and Public Relations soon to be graduate (fingers crossed) at Curtin University.

Week one into my internship and I am feeling absolutely exhausted. At this stage I am not too sure if it’s the jet lag, the internship or the fact that it doesn’t get dark until 10:30pm over here, either way I love it. My overseas industry placement is with lifestyle and entertainment communications company The Movement. My internship partner and myself had been set the task to work in-house for an exclusive bikram yoga studio, So Hot Yoga based in So-Ho and Victoria.

It took only days for me to realise how fast pace and overwhelming (in a good way) my internship and the next 4 weeks are going to be! Working as a full-time intern doesn’t allow any time for rest or relaxation. I know they call New York the city that never sleeps, but London is close to second best. My partner and I have quickly learnt that preparation is key. After understanding the public transport system and the London way of life with a bit of help from our supervisor we are fitting in quite nicely. If you can already tell, yes I never want to go home. Day one included meeting our client, the owner and creative director of So Hot Bikram Yoga Studios Bill and Elaine. I have to say my partner and I are not complaining about the client. Working with calm vegan yogi’s is probably as calm as it goes, where bare feet are compulsory. 

After learning are tasks and goals for our placement, my partner and I begin drafting up our first task, our social media plan. Our client’s main focus is social media engagement through a variety of streams and platforms. Not only to engage their clients, but staff as well.

I am fitting into my work routine with the added bonus of enjoying the London life. Did I mention we have been given a bikram yoga membership for the time of our placement? Bonus!

Hope you are all enjoying this whirlwind as much as I am?

Emma