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PR Fuel: Taking Charge of Your Communications With a Media AuditBefore you send out another press release or write the next employee newsletter, ask the question, "are my company's communications operating from a detailed plan customized for my clients, employees and desired media?"If your answer is no, my magic eight ball predicts a communications audit in your future. BASICS The general goal of a communications audit is to identify how a company interacts with key audiences such as customers, employees and the media. Once the information is researched, formal recommendations for preserving or enhancing the processes are presented. Who should request a communications audit? If your company is dissatisfied with their investment in a media relations program, wanting to refocus corporate initiatives, having trouble finding the time to keep employees informed, or suffering from poor visibility of products/services, then you might a consider a review of your communications. PROCESS A well-authored communications audit provides a company with a blueprint or framework for setting goals and targeting audiences. The blueprint helps to create a strategy document used to formulate an action plan. If the plan is too large to implement at once, a phased approach might be adopted to execute all components. The four-step audit process: -- Planning. During this time, all stakeholders and decision-makers are identified, and a plan to interact with employees, customers and media is drafted. -- Audit. Here, information is gathered with tools such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, network analysis, content analysis, technology assessment, critical incident analysis, or document analysis to gather information. -- Analysis. This time is set aside to evaluate and make recommendations based on the information found during the audit. -- Reporting. A formal document is created and presented with professional recommendations to optimize communications. TIMING If your company has never had a communications audit and is concerned about how communications are affecting the bottom-line, begin a search for a qualified auditor soon. Should your company be a part-time business or have few employees, a complete communications audit may not be necessary. However, an audit of target customers and media opportunities could be the push your business needs to move to the next level. RECOMMENDATIONS To ensure a successful communications audit, use the following guidelines: -- Select a qualified public relations individual or firm who understands your business. Choose an auditor that makes you feel comfortable, and has the background to ask the right questions. -- Keep decision-makers on the project to a minimum. Sometimes the adage can be true: if you want to kill a good idea, form a committee. -- Provide reasonable access to information. If certain areas of information are off-limits or have no impact on the audit, provide these guidelines as soon as possible for planning purposes. -- Inform employees of the audit. Employee buy-in promotes a smooth transfer of information and can be used to hasten the audit process. -- Remain open to questions being asked by the auditor. A communications audit is an offensive maneuver not a defensive strike or judgment. -- Ask questions. A professional public relations person will welcome questions about the process, and should provide progress reports to reduce the "where are we now" questions.
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