Sound Measurement Criteria

Doug Dome (from left), Derrick Baker and Lou Williams (Photo by Ted Lacey)

MODERATOR

Lou Williams
Author and Founder of L .C. Williams & Associates

PANELISTS

Derrick Baker
Chicago Urban League

Doug Dome
Dome HK

PROGRAM SUMMARY

PCC Past Presidents. (Photo by Ted Lacey)

Meaningful Measurement Can Enhance A PR Program’s Success

By Sue Masaracchia-Roberts

Derrick Baker of the Chicago Urban League and Doug Dome of Dome H & K discussed real-life scenarios for measuring PR efforts for not-for-profits as well as for large corporations. Lou Williams of L.C. Williams and Associates added his perspective as panel moderator at the June PCC luncheon. This was the final luncheon of the series before the luncheons resume again on September 14.

Lou Williams

Lou Williams has extensive experience managing and executing programs in public affairs, media relations, crisis communications and a variety of other PR functions. Prior to founding his firm, Williams was a partner at Savlin-Williams Associates and senior vice president of international public relations at Hill & Knowlton, Inc. In addition to his many accomplishments, he is co-author of two textbooks on communication and is a past chairman and CEO of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

Often times, the proof of something’s value is the number of dollars spent. However, Lou Williams suggested that in order to measure success you must first benchmark it to know if you succeeded; something that only can happen over time. From the benchmark, goals can be developed, as well as establishing a point in time and determine a measure for success. Williams’ other guidelines for measuring efforts include:

1. Start small, measuring bits and pieces to start. Work on small projects and then move on.

2. Negotiate a consensus of what success looks like. You cannot measure in a vacuum, but must determine what will be considered a “success” up front.

3. In a frenzy to measure successes, we often forgot that NOT everything is measurable – like counsel or advice used for preventing problems or creative ability. The goal is to recognize these benefits and then put them to work.

4. Know where to get help when you need it. Among reliable resources are universities and constituencies. “Have someone you can trust look at what you do,” said Williams.

5. According to Williams, all PR people are paranoid. If there is a problem, we need to avoid overstretching or over promising, but instead need to make sure we can meet expectations. If necessary, undersell rather than oversell.

6. Build research that speaks your management’s language and determine what is qualitative as opposed to quantitative. If it is quantifiable, the professional can extrapolate information, whereas if it is qualitative, it is word-based. Know the needs and expectations of management.

7. Remember the difference between outputs like press releases, stories, etc., and outcomes like purchases and results that demonstrate the value.

8. Use spot checks throughout the process of the program or project. This allows you to make corrections along the way.

9. Spread the “truth” of what you found out in meaningful ways.

Derrick Baker

Derrick Baker is principal in DKB & Associates, a public relations and marketing communications consultancy serving non-profit, municipal, executive and small business clients. Prior to this, he served as director of marketing for the Chicago Park District and worked in corporate communications at Kemper National Insurance. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Drake University and his master’s degree from Roosevelt University.

Although Baker knew early on that even clients with limited resources will require some type of measurement, his quandary was how to create a measurement process with little or no extra money. He cited as an example, the Village of Bellwood, which became the first suburb to become a digital city, offering wireless surveillance. The challenge he addressed was how to shape the message to make it more acceptable, emphasizing the benefits to the community and public safety. In addition to using the various resources available, such as the village newsletter, and traditional news outlets, a series of public meetings grabbed a great deal of attention, and based on public comment, Baker could prove that the community was aware of the program and that criminals should be aware that they are being watched. The Mayor of Bellwood singled out Baker’s team for their work.

Doug Dome

As president of the boutique marketing communications agency Dome HK, and as recipient of the PR Agency Professional of the Year award from PR News, Doug Dome’s client roster includes a myriad of blue chip brands. Prior to starting Dome Communications, Dome worked with Foote, Cone & Belding Chicago and as PR manager for both MCI Telecommunications Corporation and the Fairmont Hotel. In addition to his agency management role, he currently teaching graduate level integrated marketing communications at the University of Chicago.

Dome acknowledged that Lou Williams’ guidelines were on the mark. “What you need to know,” Dome said, “Lou nailed it.”

One of the mistakes PR people make, suggested Dome, is that they get so focused on getting a program done, that they fail to get a consensus of what constitutes a successful program BEFORE activity begins. “It is a difficult discussion to have, but it is paramount to establishing an analysis of return on investment (ROI),” said Dome. “You need to have the courage to push back and not just agree with the client on how the program’s success will be measured.”

As for outcomes, Dome describes these as performance measurement, as opposed to the output. Performance measurement is well-defined metrics assigned to each dollar spent, taking into account the number of people attending an event and the number of impressions made.

“You need to understand the objectives and outcome expectations,” said Dome, “and lead the conversation about what those expectations are. The outcomes will be related to perspectives. The advertising industry understood the need for return on investment, whereas the PR industry did not. There was no modeling or sophisticated measurement. And measurement is expensive. Few companies can afford the investment to measure performance metrics.”

The frenzy to measure is associated with the trend toward budget compression and the drop in program innovation. Dome suggested that when programs merely fulfill the bare requirements of what is expected, clients look toward a way to enhance results, and that usually is when the obsession for ROI appears. What is necessary to overcome this frenzy are big ideas and breakthrough programs that steer the discussion away from strict ROI criteria.

As an example, after US Cellular paid $70 million for naming rights for Comiskey Park, Dome’s client, AT&T Wireless, felt that this naming would diminish AT&T’s presence in Chicago. Dome’s agency created a diversion to neutralize the buzz over U.S. Cellular’s “coming out” party as the newly named U.S. Cellular Field. When people on the street were asked if they intended to call the new ballpark U.S. Cellular Field or refer back to Comiskey Park, the majority reported they would continue to refer to Comiskey Park as the home of the White Sox.

To create an impact, Dome created 25,000 t-shirts imprinted with AT&T colors that read, “I still call it Comiskey.” The t-shirts were distributed at the All-Star game at U.S. Cellular, paid for in part by Nokia, which attached coupons to each shirt promoting a new handset. Even Mayor Daley picked up a t-shirt, as the event was picked up by ESPN, CNN, and as the “play of the day” by MSNBC. The Baseball Hall of Fame wanted a t-shirt also, making the shirts a fun, creative program for garnering coverage that counteracted the U.S. Cellular coverage in favor of AT&T Wireless. To measure the results, Dome tracked media impressions, including the number of times the item ran, as well as the pass along factor. Surveying the situation before and after the event, sales for the period involved increased sales for AT&T by 15 to 20 percent. The t-shirts disappeared after about five minutes.

The panel agreed that it is time for PR professionals to begin integrating measurement into every program if they expect PR to be accepted as an effective marketing tool that needs to take its place at the integrated marketing table.

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(Index to articles about monthly luncheons)