I love it when a plan comes together

       “I love it when a plan comes together.”

        That phrase is instantly recognizable to fans of the 1980’s series, The A-Team.  Col. Smith liked mentioning that sentence whenever his squad invented a way to overcome trouble or the bad guys. Usually, Smith said his signature one-liner after the team quickly conceived some multi-step strategy to achieve victory.    

     I like “I love it when a plan comes together” for two reasons: it is inspiring, and it goes to the essence of public relations.

        The October 17th PRF&P lesson underlined the importance of good public relations planning. I found that 2:24 minute class useful. It hammered home the nuts and bolts of winning strategic communications campaigns. I’m sure this lesson made clear sailing for PRF&P students who drifted at sea about public relation plans.

       Monday’s lesson provided a framework for any strategic communications cause to achieve success. A thought out plan ensures that all necessary steps are covered. Missing just one will hamper, or even doom, the best intentioned public relations effort. One weakness is a plan with a dull goal. 

      I think it really helps to define one’s niche. There’s nothing like a product or service that stands out, or can’t be easily obtained elsewhere. Few things are more advantageous than promoting something that can be found or done few places else.

    For example, let’s say your PR client was NYU’s School of Continuing And Professional Studies (SCPS). The objective was to boost enrollment. Wouldn’t one strong selling point be highlighting SCPS’ numerous foreign language offerings?

 After all, how many other institutions teach hard to find tongues such as Persian, Norwegian, Greek, and Korean?   That alone will serve to attract more students to SCPS, especially in worldly New York City.  

    For all “PRF&Pers, we need to ask ourselves, “What edge can we give to our public relations pitches and plans? What different can we help introduce to the public? How can we best convey the right message to the right people? How can we get our clients to stand above the competition?

   Answering those questions well will pay off well. You, your client, and your audience  will all love it when a plan comes together.  And, perhaps, your public relations group will earn the name “A-Team.”