Communications Program Outline

TOPIC: PR/MARKETING Communications Program Outline

The following is the general outline I follow when designing PR & Marketing Communications programs.
While comprehensive Public Relations and Marketing Communications programs need the same information, advertising, direct marketing, and other marketing tools use only portions of this information.

FOREWORD
SITUATION
Consideration: The challenge
Response: The strengths
OBJECTIVES
Marketing objectives
Marketing communications objectives
Goals
Tasks to achieve goals
STRATEGIES
Short-term strategy
Long-term strategy
DISCUSSION
Program components
BUDGET
APPENDICES
A. Public Relations
B. Advertising
C. Direct Marketing
D. Trade Shows
E. New Product Development
F. Sales Literature

The following paragraph, adapted by me from a definition of public relations, succinctly describes how I believe fine marketing communications and public relations programs unfold.

“By identifying the company’s or product’s publics first, we can then plan on using the various communications tools to reach those audiences, either educating them, or reinforcing or changing their perceptions. Publicity, advertising, direct mail, trade shows, internal communications, financial relations, trade media relations, and government lobbying are a few of the tools used to achieve the common marketing goals.”