Week 7 Readings- PR Plan

I believe the key messages from this weeks reading were the importance of the different stages of a program plan, the need for PR to have a proactive role, the need for research and a strategic plan that meets an organisations overall objectives, the importance of sound objectives, the advantages and disadvantages of working in a PR consultancy or an in-house department, the workings of a budget, the best way to select communication methods and the importance of effective implementation and evaluation of the PR plan.

The key points in the reading could be applied to my group work in that this will be the major assignment we will be undertaking. It was helpful in outlining the structure of a PR plan, highlighting common problems that are encountered and should be avoided. It identified the ways to approach each section of the plan and the importance of defining each step clearly, for example wording objectives in such a way that they can be controlled and measured. Each of the sections outlined will help develop our thinking and approach in regards to the sections within our own plan.

The reading made me think more about public relations theory/practice in that it was very clear, simple to understand and practical. It highlighted the role PR plays alongside other organisational departments and the danger of PR doing the work of these other departments. The comparison between consultancy and in-house PR firms outlined the structure of organisations and the way a program plan develops in each circumstance. I also found the different sections (particularly that on budgets) to be very informative as they included examples and dos and don'ts. The reading also emphasised the time, effort and consideration that must go into constructing, evaluating and refining a PR plan. The different attitudes organisations hold regarding the value of PR plans will no doubt also be something I will encounter in the future.

The reading related to the other readings I've done in previous weeks in that it linked back to the importance of research, ethics and strategic planning. It again emphasised the proactive role of a PR practitioner and the need for actions to be justified to management. The variety of plans and techniques referred back the the individual readings on media relations, community relations etc. The importance of a clear direction is again emphasised as is the need to learn from your outcomes.