Communication Overtones Comments
I agree that we have to be able to measure the ROI somehow ... especially if you work for a fairly big company and have to get C level buy in for the program to begin & sustain.
In the nonprofit world ... what would a top 3 list look like for measuring ROI??
I know it is different on a case by case basis, but if you were to pic the top 3 that you have seen come up most what would they be?
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http://twitter.com/franswaa
Great question, Frank. I'm going to begin with a caveat; every organization needs to figure out its own KPIs, since their measurable objectives will be slightly different. In the non-profit world, they will likely be related to donations first and foremost, or membership (judged by size and frequency of donation). Depending on the various conversion methodologies, you could have several KPIs. Two we used when I was at the ASPCA were web traffic and online donations. Once you add social media to the mix, measuring engagement becomes very important. I do think it's important to monitor your outtakes as well, particularly in a competitive framework. That will show you what stories and messages resonate with the public, and could have a huge influence on shaping your organization's communications, and sometimes its entire strategic focus.
Hi Shonali,
I really enjoyed your post and agree with a lot of it. I think the reason companies still use impressions and multipliers is because that's what their clients want to see. Few clients want to go through the trouble of having to supply information that proves an agency's worth. (At least that's been our experience with our clients.) The challenge lies in convincing clients that a new form of measurement is warranted so communicators can keep business when the economy gets shaky. What's the best way to make a client see the extra value in a new system of measurement when all they want to see each month is a number of hits?
Terrific post! I used the weight loss analogy once -- it's like tracking your activity points and food intake.
Thanks for your note, Alyssa. Sometimes it's better to lose a battle to win the war. To begin with, you can keep counting impressions (just beware of using multipliers); when done in the right way, and in a competitive framework, that can be very useful as well.
Changing a mindset doesn't happen in a day. Ask your client what they're really getting out of these hits? What has happened historically when they have not received the kind of hits they consider a success? If the bottom line hasn't been impacted, what good does it do? You could also consider using successful case studies to show your client how making a paradigm shift can positively impact their bottom line - and always find a way to relate your measures to money. Nothing talks like green.
Thanks, Beth! Nothing like a simple analogy to bring the point home, I say.
I've come to the conclusion that measurement is really the result of having goals. When goals are clearly stated, there is almost always a simple means of evaluation.
That said, choosing the *right* goals can be challenging... it seems with social media in particular, there is often a temptation to throw too many goals in one program.
Nice post, I'm really looking forward to seeing what you and Katie Paine cook up for the PRSA in Detroit! I hope I can make it.
Thanks for the note, Shannon. I'd take your point even further and say what's most important are measurable objectives which, of course, should correlate to your goals (which are usually broader). I think often times people confuse the two, which is why programs get overly complicated. Any campaign or program should have just a few (two or three max.) goals, and a few measurable objectives to support those goals. Then you can work backwards to figure out the best tactics and voila, your measurement program is born.
Shonali, great observation and very true. As a PR executive in both consumer and b2b, I measured success based on the number of press hits that materialized but there is so much more to the formula. I also think PR/Communications executives need to link back their programs to Sales and the bottom line. One measurement tool that we used was how much new business was atually generated via an event or article. Thanks for the eye opener!
In my career, I've gone from being "overhead" to a profit center. "Measurement" has gone from whether I could get the local TV stations to come out for the grand opening of our new CAT Scan unit to how much advertising revenue and subscription revenue my publications generate. I like ROI measurement better than that in which I'm not really capable of quantifying.
Here in Canada we (as in the majority of PR Agencies) have been using Media Relations Rating Points (MR2P) as a measuring stick. It's been gathering steam since its inception several years back and I'm quite surprised it's not being adopted more quickly South of the border.
In essence it is a measurement not only of true reach, but it also incorporates other elements such as tone, key message delivery etc. which act as +ve (or -ve) influencers to give each "hit" a score. All of this info is then applied 'program cost' to generate a 'cost per impression' score. (There's a bit more to it than that, but you get the idea.)
Granted, it isn't perfect, but it does address two critical areas... 1. message delivery (vs 'empty hits') and 2. a tangible $ figure to satisfy the bean counters!
Check it out at www.mrpdata.com
Wonderful post. Great minds think alike! I am in the middle of writing a whitepaper on measurements. As a CPA, we have to constantly help our clients understand measurements and help them figure out where to focus during times such as these. And I am using a diet analogy as well...not sure if it has anything to do with my recent return to the Atkins diet or not.
Cynthia, Mike, PRJack and Geni - thanks to all of you for taking the time to read and comment - this kind of two-way communication is exactly what is going to help us move our industry forward.
Geni, I think diet analogies will always hit home because a diet is usually tough to get started on. Once you do, though, the results are worth it!
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