Tackling strategic business challenges is what we are all about. We help businesses enter new markets; cope with significant change; launch new products; prepare themselves for sale; or find a competitive edge in a commoditized marketplace. We help trade associations and other interest groups manage the political, regulatory and social issues that worry them. We help clients of all kinds deal with damaging crises.

Whatever the strategic challenge, the way we build and execute a public relations program to address it remains broadly the same. This is the first of three posts which briefly outlines our unique 6-stage process. I hope it gives you a glimpse inside our minds, underscores the solid foundations upon which our programs are built, and goes some way to demystifying the process by which we bring value our clients….

Stage 1: Research and Investigation

Upon beginning a new project, we start with C-Suite meetings to identify and define the strategic business challenge or challenges. We support this as needed with communications audits, brand positioning studies, issues analysis, competitor comparisons and customer polling. Only when we have a thorough understanding of our clients, their history, their bugbears and their aspirations, can we begin the process of enabling their success.

Stage 2: Target Audience Analysis (TAA)

We take time to identify and define the groups and individuals that we must affect to achieve our aims, and then we chart the potential communications channels to them. We assess human and group factors to ensure we have a thorough understanding of each client’s stakeholders. We move to the next stage knowing who we must speak to, how to reach them and a basic understanding of what we might say.

The graphic below illustrates the entire process. Look out for Part 2, on Monday, in which we build on our research to develop the strategies and messaging needed to run a successful campaign.