Answer to Question #240400 in English for Slindile

Question

According to the Bivins (1995 :5-16) the planning process consists of five steps identify and discuss five development processes of public relations with relevant examples

Answer 1

Bivins(1995 :5-16) asserted that the planning process consists of five main steps which are applicable to development processes of public relations. They include:

• Developing a problem or issue statement: this relates to identifying an issue that cuts to the core of the situation and recognizes the consequences of not dealing with the problem or opportunity.
• Researching the topic: this entails researching to analyze the situation facing the organization and accurately defining the problem or opportunity in such a manner that the public relations efforts can successfully address the cause of the issue.
• Analyzing the target audience: this includes differentiating the target audience based on common characteristics such as demographics, geographics and psychographics.
• Setting objectives and evaluation criteria: this entails developing a strategic action plan that addresses the issue that was analyzed in the problem statement. It constitutes having an overall goal, measurable objectives, clearly identified publics, targeted strategies and effective tactics. It also includes picking evaluation criteria and tools.
• Choosing the appropriate media: this entails decision-making on the best communication tools and tasks to reach the set objectives.