PR plan

INTERREG III A Community Initiative Slovenia/Hungary/Croatia Neighborhood Programme @ccess Slovenia/Hungary/Croatia PR Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 4 2. PR strategy .................................................................................................. 5 2.1 General objectives ................................................................................. 5 2.2 The target group .................................................................................... 5 2.3 The expected outcomes ......................................................................... 6 2.4 The harmony of internal and external communication ......................... 7 2.5 The project‟s strategic PR objectives .................................................... 7 3. The PR tactical plan .................................................................................... 8 3.1Continuous maintanace and monitoring of the internal and external communication ............................................................................................ 8 3.1.1. Parameters of messages…………………………………………9 3.1.2 Parameters of the tools…………………………………………..11 3.1.3. General tasks in connection with the objective…………………12 3.2 Providing reachability for the target groups, and informing them according to their needs…………………………………………………..14 3.2.1. Properties of messages…………………………………………..14 3.2.2. Properties of tools……………………………………………….15 3.2.3. General tasks in connection with the objective………………....17 3.3 The conscious building of the activites for an efficient, articulate and trustworthy presentation of the result……………………………………17 3.3.1. Properties of the messages………………………………………17 3.3.2. Properties of the tools…………………………………………...19 3.3.3 General tasks in connection with the objective………………….20 4. The PR operational and action plan, divided into project periods………..20 4.1 The 1st project implementation peroid………………………………..22 4.2 The 2nd project implementation period……………………………….25 4.3 The 3rd project implementation peroid……………………………….27 4.4. The 4th project period………………………………………………...29 5. Summary………………………………………………………………….32 3 1. INTRODUCTION The following plan @access was developed for the project named: The development and strategy creation project for information technology. The plan follows the general triple articulation mechanism of planning. First it explains the most important elements of the PR strategy, starting from the project‟s objectives. This is followed by a detailed PR tactical plan, which contains the general inner and outer principles of communication, focusing on the project‟s target groups. Finally it assigns an action plan to every arisen problem, which declares the exact actions to be made, the ones responsible from the management and collaborator planes, a deadline synchronized to the project‟s start time, and the most important tools and methods. 4 2. PR STRATEGY 2.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVES The project‟s general objective is to speed up the realization of information society among the range of applicant organizations. This overall objective is motivated by the experience of significant backwardness (within the countries, and in international aspects as well) in this area. We wish to realize this objective on three different thematic areas: e-commerce, ebusiness; electronic government, information technology in public and social sphere. The project‟s general aim will be realized through the creation of accessibility. Informing the members of the target group with the step of the project is essential, so one of the most important duties of the project‟s operational section is to keep to and execute the PR plan. 2.2 THE TARGET GROUP The target group is quite complex. On the one hand, the results are speaking to the residents, as well as the business sphere and the government as well; on the other hand co-operation with the Croatian partners makes the colleagues work more difficult. We have to conclude, that the strength of the 5 project is that it‟s meant to several participants, and the growth in informatics has same importance to everyone, and emphasizing this is also strategically important. The three target groups require totally different approach. It‟s important to lay this down on the strategic level: the target groups are equally important, but they require totally different approach. Primarily we‟re not speaking about conceptual questions, but differences in the tools and composition. The PR tactical plan is perfect for defining these. Further operational problems are discussed in the plans of action. 2.3 THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES The project‟s outcomes are different society development strategies. Elaborating and publishing the best works directly assists the formation of informational (e-) society on the target areas, as well as the establishment of long term, maintainable development. Since the project‟s results are not real established investments (meaning: not full-houses, companies providing free Internet access…etc.), but denotations containing strategies to be followed, publishing the created “product” is vitally important. It‟s not enough to start the appropriate 6 disclosure by the time the project is done; it has to be consciously established throughout the project‟s lifecycle. 2.4 THE HARMONY OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION The advantage of complex project organism is that the interpretation of the different external information can happen differently in the distinct organizations, depending on their constitutional culture. This can cause diverse reactions, which can damage the values and interests of the project, or can lead to unreliability, causing the acceptance of the expected results to be put to risk. The internal communication is therefore a sensitive part of the project. This is why the continuous monitoring of PR activity by the project management is essential. The monitoring must be based on a uniformly accepted plan, which role this PR Plan is meant to fill in. 2.5 THE PROJECT’S STRATEGIC PR OBJECTIVES Based on the previous, the project‟s strategic PR objectives are the following: 1. The continuous preservation and monitoring of the internal and external communication inside the project 7 2. Ensuring accessibility for the target group, and informing them continuously according to their needs 3. Consciously building up the whole activity to serve the communication to be efficient, understandable and trustworthy 3. THE PR TACTICAL PLAN The tactical plan‟s role is to summarize the messages‟ essence, tools and their handling methods, orders, and the most important general activities formulated in the strategic plan. The tactical plan‟s point is to help the operational plan to be put in action, and to give them a framework. The tactical plan is valid throughout the whole lifecycle of the project. Chances of divergence are provided by the plans of action, otherwise the tactical elements are valid even if they are not mentioned. 3.1Continuous maintanace and monitoring of the internal and external communication 8 3.1.1. PARAMETERS OF MESSAGES The essential parts are different of the internal and external communication, but they can not be separated. A carefully set up external communication can be spoilt by bad internal communication and vice versa. This is the most important content element of the messages in the internal communication. Continuous informing about the partners‟ activities must be kept up on both sides of the border. It is essential that the participants know each other‟s every day problems, the possible solutions, suggestions and final decisions. They can help each other, because they can come across the same problems during the project phases. The content of the internal messages are determined by the interaction with the external world. 9 Processing relevant information coming from outside, and sending them to the partners has to happen at a daily regularity. The most important topics to process here are about informatics, economy and society. Nowadays it‟s indispensable to follow these closely. A great role falls on the project management in forming the messages. The management‟s daily participation is essential for the internal communication to be effective, proactive and multiple. The logical solution is the continuous communication between the appointed organization- and project managers, because the colleagues can hardly reach each other, due to the number of people involved, and the great geographical distances. The arisen communication messages are “bottom-up” delivered to the managers, and the received messages are “top-down” sent back to them. The maintenance of this system is the duty of the project manager. The information leaving the organization has to “narrow” to the arisen results, and the answers given to the daily challenges. To avoid misunderstanding, these messages can only be sent after multiple, supervision, and with the approval of the project management. The plan does not accepts the independent communication of the partners, neither in Hungarian or Croatian languages, but the project management can give an exemption after a thorough supervision. 10 Reliability, maintaining authenticity, continuous information of the partners and the direct and indirect target groups, and realization of the further strategic objectives are the most important roles of the external messages. 3.1.2 PARAMETERS OF THE TOOLS The tools are primarily based on the digital era‟s accessories. Primary tools of communication are e-mails, cell phones, and the written and verbal messaging programs provided by the Internet. Stationary and paper based communication is not supported by the plan, but the official documents create and exception. In these cases the date of transmission and the arrival is important. Personal communication is not excluded; it is moreover supported to create direct working conditions. Another advantage of these tools is that acts of communication can easily been retrieved. Verbal communication forms make an exception. If vitally important information in connection with the project alternate verbally, these conversations should be recorded with appropriate tools or records. It‟s important to mention the role of informal communication between colleagues and managers as well. If any useable information is made, the fixation and announcement is the duty of the participants. Any digital 11 instruments, sound records, voice messages or computer notes can be used. Hand written notes should be avoided, because of the difficulty of readability. Checking the content and the appearance of the messages and records is the direct manager‟s duty. These tools are essential for maintaining fluent communication. The order of internal messages is cleared by the above. Fixation and forwarding of the written and heard has to be made by digital instruments, so the result is always a document, sound- or video record. External messages are varied: written and audible publications, printed matters, public invitations, press conferences and international conferences. Multilingualism is essential from the point of view of the project. On one hand the delivered documents are created in Hungarian, Croatian and in English as well, and if necessary in any of the official languages of the European Union. The Croatian and English translations are carried out by external contractors selected according to the law of public procurement. 3.1.3. GENERAL TASKS IN CONNECTION WITH THE OBJECTIVE The word objective shows the two most important tasks: maintenance and monitoring. Due to their nature, these are primarily duties of the 12 managers. From the objective‟s point of view, the colleagues‟ role is to comply with the manager‟s directions. The essential tasks of maintenance are: “clearing” the “bottom-up” and “top-down” channels of communication; careful management and fixation of the finished messages; assisting formal and informal relations between colleagues; implementing results with the knowledge of external information and results. The essential tasks of monitoring: continuous submitting of internal and external materials, obtaining acknowledgements of reaching the goals, examining any possible mistakes on official meetings. The continuous and monitored communication besides the PR objectives aids the motivation system, and the work of the management, administration and financial leadership. 13 3.2 PROVIDING REACHABILITY FOR THE TARGET GROUPS, AND INFORMING THEM ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS 3.2.1. PROPERTIES OF MESSAGES Present strategy‟s most tender point is the content elements of the messages. The target group‟s complexity can be defined in two dimensions. On one hand it touches two countries with two languages, two fortunately not so differing cultures; on the other hand it contains a deep plunge of social and economic participants. Hereinafter the plan generally draws up guidelines for each of the three participants. 14 The internal and external messages involving both participants should be made bilingual at the moment of creation, so neither of them gets disadvantage, nor do the target groups‟ participants get omission. The three different target groups require different way of approach in the formulation of the messages. It is hard to find the right tone, which the government, the economic sphere and the residents accept with the same interest, not speaking about the variance in knowledge. Articulate messages can not be made on the account of professional quality. 3.2.2. PROPERTIES OF TOOLS Informing the target group is a typical objective of external communication. The appropriate tools can be the official organs and tools preferred by the target group. The economic sphere can be reached across the Internet, or through different economical and political daily-, weekly-, or monthly newspapers. The residents are typical readers of the national and local political papers. Some social layers can be accessed through the Internet. Workers in the governing sectors are a mixture of the previous, appropriate compositing can awake their attention as well. 15 The project‟s own PR publications are useful for waking the attention of the affected, especially at the beginning of the research stage. Nevertheless one of the most accented elements of PR is the project‟s homepage. The continuous uploading and updating of the page is one of the most essential tasks. As the formulated objective shows, continuity is an essential element of the project. One has to endeavor that each formulation has to meet the requirements of the selected tools; otherwise the given media can turn away from the project in the future, and the target group my loose interest. The other implementation of continuity is that the publication of results should be fluent, and smaller, but more messages should be made before announcing the final result. Waking, maintaining and controlling the target group‟s attention can be only achieved by publications meeting the appropriate professional level. Materials should go across several lingual, compositional and professional monitoring, before leaving the project, and is every colleague‟s responsibility. 16 3.2.3. GENERAL TASKS IN CONNECTION WITH THE OBJECTIVE The objective contains tasks affecting the whole project organization. Creating professional materials in adequate quality, monitoring and publication are the most important tasks. The management should follow the creation of professional materials with attention, and should keep in touch with the different official organs, which are essential for proper publication. The own publication‟s graphical designing and laying out is the duty of the colleagues. The aspect has to meet the expectations of the Monitoring Authority, but it can be changed within the allowed frames if necessary for special project tasks. 3.3 THE CONSCIOUS BUILDING OF THE ACTIVITES FOR AN EFFICIENT, ARTICULATE AND TRUSTWORTHY PRESENTATION OF THE RESULT. 3.3.1. PROPERTIES OF THE MESSAGES Present objective most of all touches the professional content. It‟s essential that the professional materials‟ content should be based on the data surveying and research results throughout the whole project. It is not 17 desirable that the final results are not supported or oppose the published professional materials in the meantime. In the different project periods – depending on the scientific-professional content of the period – differing degree of professional contribution is required from the participants. Reports and notes can be made in each period with demanding care, but their professional supervision must be done in any circumstances. While assembling the contents of a professional conference, one must endeavor that the result of the project fully appears in the presentation. If the invited presenters represent a different opinion, the different points of views should be examined by the professional management. If necessary, it‟s their duty to refute it, or build it in the final result of the project. The professional topics must be made accessible for the target group in a direct or indirect form. It is important that these publications are made with scientific fastidiousness using academic language, helping discussing unsettled questions between internal and external experts, maximizing support for the final result of the project. 18 3.3.2. PROPERTIES OF THE TOOLS All of the previous objectives build on the professional materials, so we are not meaning to touch upon this topic. However, the forms of documents prepared for academic and scientific spheres differ from these. A printed, journal-like appearance, supported by a remarkable informatics background with digital- and Internet-content is more suitable for scientific spheres. 19 3.3.3 General tasks in connection with the objective As we mentioned in the chapter of strategy, one of the most important issues of the PR is that the unity of permanent scientific level should not get torn. The messages should prepare, reinforce and support the content elements of the final result. The final result of the project is a developed strategy, which is able to assist the target group‟s ability to reach digital technology. However this is insufficient by itself for actual improvement. The certified professional and project guiding materials created by the participants can help the development progress along the most punctual path. This clearly shows that the final product can only be supported in a wide range if only consistent and thoroughly worked out materials leave the project organization during the development phase. Therefore these general tasks have priority: searching and polling reliable, primary and secondary data sources; conscious building and continuous monitoring of research activities, working out professional material by building data sources; finding the most suitable form and tools for publishing professional materials. 4. The PR operational and action plan, divided into project periods 20 Programme of action Realization IV. Project period III. Project period II. Project period I. Project period 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 Time (month) 21 By over viewing the project‟s implementation periods, we‟re going to determine the specific PR tasks. Besides viewing the tasks in connection with the PR, we‟ll discuss the tasks spreading through whole periods. The one‟s responsible for each task will only be determined during implementation, so right now, we‟ll only determine the execution levels. 4.1 THE 1ST PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PEROID This is the preparation period from the PR„s point of view. On one hand, because by determining the clear PR and marketing plan – which is excepted by all partners – a complex PR and marketing activity begins, which determines the most important guidelines throughout the project. With this, a cost-efficient and innovative process is born. This helps the efficient implementation of the competition‟s objectives by effectively utilizing the supporting and the own sources. The period‟s other essential element is the creation of the project‟s homepage. As mentioned in the tactical chapter, this is the most important PR tool of external communication throughout the whole cycle. Continuous uploading of data is essential at the beginning of the project. Flow of information towards the external world would be hard and meticulous without this help, meanwhile an innovative webpage design can help the management and the colleagues bring the desired information to the target 22 group. The homepage is at the visitors service in three different languages (Hungarian, Croatian and English), with exactly the same content. One must put great care on the simultaneity of data flow mentioned among the tactical objectives. The aim of the international- and press conference held at the end of each period and the publication made about this is to wake up the interest about the project. Success of the program can be achieved by keeping to the PR objectives and tactical elements. Of course, the conference is looking forward to a great attendance, so besides organizing interesting presentations, the professional plane must be kept high. This move does not only wake interests, but can bring the project in repute. The level of the conference is determined by the quality of the different PR tools, the invitation cards, the amplifying and the graphical works. One must strive on choosing the best external colleague for maintaining the high level, but cost efficiency should also have attention. The project‟s PR strategy and tactical objectives must be regarded when using the tools mentioned. When obtaining the required informatics equipment, one must pay attention to the implementation of the PR objectives and tools. The computers and other digital equipments must be suitable for any kind of electronic communication, and for managing presentations, reports, web 23 pages, and larger databases. For complex objectives like this, only the equipments using the latest technology are adequate. During the procurement, these values must be combined with cost-efficiency. The management is responsible for a lot of tasks in this period. The PR and marketing plans were created using external resources, but the introduction and acceptation is the management‟s internal duty. The basic objectives and principles spread fast among the colleagues, as described in the tactical plan, for ensuring the certain success for further PR activity. The update of the homepage is basically done by external resources, however efficient contribution between the partners are required for transferring required information. The uploaded content must be continuously supervised by the existing management, to help preserve the project from loosing its authenticity and trustworthiness in the early periods; especially towards the target group and the indirectly affected outside world. The project‟s management can always lean on the authenticity and reliability established in this period. Organizing a conference is also a duty of external colleagues; still the participation of partners is indispensable. The representations of the project, giving professional presentations, and the protocol role of the partners all 24 have great emphasis among the tasks of the agents of the participating partners. 4.2 THE 2ND PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD This period is for research activity. The participating students and experts establish the professional work for further periods; first using secondary, then primary data. Their aim is to keep the project‟s final outcome at the highest level. Internal PR activities are intensifying. Communication between the participants of the research is indispensable, considering the strict deadline as well. The partners are involved in sharing information, because they can save time and energy, not to mention the chance of cutting down expenses. This is why sharing objectives between the partners‟ managers and participants are essential before starting the search for information. Sharing the results found is the duty of the manager responsible for the search. The expected outcome of the secondary research is to provide a background, an ideal backbone for analysis of the data gathered by the primary search. One must pay great attention to maintain the PR objectives demanded by the different target groups during the data surveying. Without synchronized PR activities, these would be unavailable, so it is important that the management observes the creation of the questions. Deeper interviews 25 require more active PR activity, because of the larger number of participants. This is why it‟s essential that the questioning commissioners receive proper professional and PR preparation. This is the responsibility of the contractor selected according to the law of public procurement. Not properly prepared questionnaire fillers and interviewing colleagues put all of the PR strategy‟s objectives to risk. During the recording and processing of the results, PR points of views can not be handicapped. Authenticity and professional massiveness can be injured in several points, which may put the project‟s PR strategy to risk, and can be avoided by employing properly prepared staff. The press conference held at the end of a period is destined to introduce the results of the research towards the target group. Translation of the finished documents deserves special attention, so nobody has to take care of this during the press conference. Presentations must be created according to the PR objectives. If these objectives were paid enough attention during the research, then the press conference only serves implementation and articulateness. Accessories used at the press conference should be used with the same fastidiousness mentioned earlier. 26 4.3 THE 3RD PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PEROID This period of the project is professionally the most active one. Analysis of the result of the primary and secondary research results are begun, which are used for developing the different strategic alternatives; and this is followed by the further development of the alternatives selected according to professional opinions. PR principles must be paid attention and built into professional work during the whole implementation phase. Take notice that work prepared now will determine the whole project‟s final outcome. Maintaining and further developing professional authenticity and trustworthiness determines the acceptance of the outcomes inside the direct and indirect target groups. The aim of the conference held during the period is to explore and develop differing strategic paths. Great emphasis must be placed on the target group‟s needs and the confirmation of the results during the conference. The higher quality and level above the average presentations show the importance of this conference, since the most valuable base of the project can be acquired or wasted throughout the whole life-cycle. Keeping to the PR tactical objectives is essential, dwelling on multilingualism. It is important that for a complex way of seeing things complex communication is required, therefore each of the externally employed experts have to be highly qualified bringing 27 the level. Exact recording of the heard and archiving the internal communication pervious and following the conference is an emphasized target. PR documents in connection with the conference have to be prepared according to the plan, however not oppressing professionalism. For reaching the appropriate external reactions, articulation and meeting the claims of target groups are indispensable. General acceptance can be enlarged by building these into the final outcome of the project. The project management is responsible for the thing mentioned above. Selecting the right strategic path from the discovered ones is just a matter of the implementation of the result so far; and the matter of internal and external reactions. Colleagues can help, if the pay attention to the PR strategic objectives, and find the appropriate execution by using these, to shape their work this way. Informing the appropriate press is the last activity in the period. This task can easily been done, since trustworthy and authenticity already had an emphasized role during following the PR tactical plan. As mentioned in the plan, the largest percent of the target group can be reached through the local and national newspapers. However, to reach a better judgment it is essential to appear in the professional pages. This is a why the messages sent to major 28 political and financial weekly and monthly papers and to the adequate journals and periodicals; composed appropriately, according to the PR strategic and tactical plan, get an emphasized role. Winning the electronic press can be achieved with the help of the quality project homepage, because these media are primarily watching the contents on the Internet. By uploading up-to-date data, developed strategic paths and ideas waiting to be processed to the webpage, the project can receive further reactions from the outside world and this can increase accessibility. With the help of the English version, social and professional reactions from outside the target areas can be accessed; and this raises the quality of the final outcome. A highlighted supervision of the professional work appears beside the responsibility of the PR managers during this period. As cleared up from the previous, these two are not exclusive factors; however the tasks completed during the period require the differentiation. 4.4. THE 4TH PROJECT PERIOD During this period, the development of the specific project ideas begin inside the frames of little workshops, involving the direct target group and other public spheres. The specific ideas are refined through discussions with the help of potential managing agents. After this the suitable project for 29 implementation are selected through an appreciation process. The next step will be the development of the preparing projects and applications followed by a systemization. Since the workshops will be executed involving public spheres, appropriate advertising is indispensable. Leaning against PR result reached so far, the program is looking forward to a great attendance both in Hungary and Croatia. Conform to the PR tactical elements must not be left out of consideration. Introducing these to the participants can improve the adaptation of ideas to the work done so far. Preparation of further professional work can be considered done, taking previous results into account and keeping to PR objectives. The authenticity reached indicates a perfect base for searching after more potential managing agents. The developed and executable ideas all contain the project‟s most important PR objectives, so materials created at this point surely meet the claims. The third international conference held during implementation has great importance from the point of view of advertising. The conference can be a simple summary of the conscious work done so far. If the strategic objectives are realized thanks to a conscious construction of the PR, the conference will provide a coherent, complex, authentic and medium towards the incurious 30 with demanding quality and level in the eyes of the public. The program is looking forward to a great attendance, because numerous previous, consciously built PR activities were serving this goal. The announcements of the conference and the equipments used have to represent high quality as well. Regarding great publicity usage of numerous new equipments of communication are advised. If there‟s none, a combined use of previously used equipments and methods are recommended for proving the highest professional and PR level. The press releases just have to focus on spreading the results as wide as they possibly can. As a result of previous activities, a claim showed up form the public side. Meeting the claims of the target groups is as important as the multilingualism. @ccess appearing as reference in further projects and applications built upon the results of our project should be reached. In case PR conceptions were kept during implementation, the project should be an outstanding reference for ideas developed in the future. Increasing accessibility, like an effect of the project can only be accessible exclusively if the PR activities are suitable for the mentioned principles above. 31 5. SUMMARY As clearly showed by the previous: “@ccess: The development and strategy creation project for information technology” is an innovative project, carrying and creating elementary values, representing the interests of all the target areas and groups, and meeting all the requirements of the 21st century. However, these outcomes can only be achieved by conscious and accurate PR building activities, since fastidious professional work can not reach true results without high quality communication. Execution of the operational tasks with the help of keeping tactical elements in mind can contribute in reaching strategic objectives and ensuring the unity of a continuous internal and external communication. This is able to create the widely known existence of authenticity and professional trustworthiness; consistently building on every affected area and groups until the publication of the final result, while keeping every demand in mind. 32 It is visible, that all this can only be achieved bye the precise and responsible work of the managers of the projects and partners. If their duty comes into being with this spirit, the participating internal and external colleagues will consciously take care of complying with the PR objectives; creating the successfulness of the whole process. 33