Assessment & Development

The last area to consider is assessment and plan development. This is where the first two stages of planning are integrated and built upon. The important questions to consider are how the audience's view differs from the desired one, what message themes will have the greatest impact on this target audience, what are the best ways of reaching this audience and who will serve as the organization's contact when working with the audience. This final step will identify the most effective and efficient means of reaching the target audience.

The three key steps to planning PR events should be the basic guideline followed during the planning process. Audience and goal identification, reporting research findings and assessment and plan development are the areas to focus on when planning. If these areas are overlooked, the PR events will not be targeting the correct audience and will not be a successful event. Having defined goals for the purpose of the event is essential. It is the first and most important step in any planning process and it is what the rest of the event is planned around. If the goals are not clear a proper audience will not be selected and the outcome could be devastating and a waste of time. Since so much time and effort goes into the planning process, it is imperative to make sure every step of the planning is covered and the event will be presented to the correct audience. These steps will provide the foundation for successful and effective PR events.

EXERCISE

• How would you draw the crowds to your event?


• What types of giveaway or promotional items would you use?


• What type of enticements, such as giveaways, contests, etc do you think would be successful at your event and why?