You don't know what you don't know

I’m going to be politically correct right now for the sake of making a point; research is the foundation of every PR campaign. Research allows you to understand your target market, know your competitors, and position the company you’re working for to have a competitive advantage. Sounds like a lot of marketing jargon doesn’t it?

Marketing and PR somewhat go hand in hand, in the sense that plans and campaigns must be researched, brainstormed, and then implemented. In order for this to happen, PR professionals must do their work of research.

HUH? More work than I already have to do? Think of it this way, you wouldn’t want to a surgeon to operate on you without him (or her) knowing your complete history and the history of your condition. So why would a company allow a PR professional to speak in front of cameras on their behalf without knowing all the crooks and crannies of the organization and its competitors?

Getting creative with research might make the process a little easier to handle, if the idea of research seems like a tedious task. Personally, I like researching and learning everything I need to know about a particular subject, it gives me confidence during discussions; otherwise, why give my thoughts to a conversation when I have no facts to support my opinion?  

Let’s talk about ways to research. It doesn’t mean you have to spend endless hours online or at the local library reading books, documents, and previously conducted surveys. Even though this is the most commonly used method for research; try being creative by interviewing your target audience, conducting your own personal surveys, or perhaps allowing your demographic try the product or service and then providing you with direct feedback. We are not chained to our laptops, get out there; PR isn’t a cut and dry, by-the-book kind of profession.

Know your audience in to implement the right message. You wouldn’t reach out to the elderly through social media would you? Well, maybe some have come into the 21^st century but let’s be honest, some wonder; Social Media what? By implementing the right channels of communication to the right audience, your plan can succeed (or have a fighting chance of succeeding).

This is what I love about PR, do your research but make it interesting – unleash your inner creativity and show the world what you are made of.