I've been playing with some thoughts about how PR/marketing/communications is evolving.

The purpose of marketing is still the same: help organizations achieve desired results. Too often we forget this one, but the CEO never does. So, results are one end of the marketing continuum.

The other end of that continuum is distribution -- the many ways we reach clients and prospects. This is where most of the change is happening. Social media's impact is obvious. Traditional media is trying to find a new business model that works. The bigger issue is that the cost of technology has dropped to free or negligible. The result is a more level playing field.

So one end of the continuum changes rarely. The other end changes daily.

Here's how I connect the two ends of the spectrum:

• Business results determine the most important audiences.
• Audiences determine desired behaviors.
• The behaviors to change determine content that is necessary.
• The content drives the tone of the materials.
• The tone drives the form of the content.
• Form drives the distribution channel.

The shortened version:

This approach accomplishes three important goals.

It's manageable. The process defines the starting point and the steps to plan effectively.

It's meaningful. I hear from CEOs all the time, "How do we know it's working?" The only way to know is to connect marketing tactics (websites, speeches, sponsorships, etc.) to business goals. This formula accomplishes that.

It's measurable. I can assign measures anywhere in the process from business results (macro) to use of specific channels (micro). I can measure investment by target audience, by content, by form. Knowing the pieces and the connections simplifies measurement.

About the Author

Brannan Atkinson, APR, is president of Atkinson Public Relations.

If you liked this post, consider subscribing to the feed or receiving new posts via e-mail.