Comments on: Good, Solid Measurement: Outputs, Outtakes and Outcomes http://www.intersectionofonlineandoffline.com/good-solid-measurement-outputs-outtakes-and-outcomes/ thoughts on communications and social media Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:25:52 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Patrice Danet http://www.intersectionofonlineandoffline.com/good-solid-measurement-outputs-outtakes-and-outcomes/comment-page-1/#comment-3574 Patrice Danet Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:29:28 +0000 http://www.intersectionofonlineandoffline.com/?p=368#comment-3574 Paine’s book is a very useful resource tool to evaluate and measure public relationships. The success metrics such as the outputs, outtakes and outcomes were extremely useful to measure the effectiveness of my case study. I was also able to apply this knowledge in my current position to evaluate communication practices and measure the success within the company. Maximizing relationships is an important core role at my current job. The manual highlights the importance of maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with our publics. Everyday I please our guest and team members by delivering a Target Brand experience, as well as to negotiate solutions that benefit the guests when a situation occurs. An important aspect in any relationship is trust. Building trust with our publics (team members and guests) increases our sales as well as drives our store’s mission. Guest feedback is important to help measure our success. This chapter enabled me to think about our guests differently, as a way to increase surveys and results. Although survey scores are a very important measurement, I do not believe the results are an accurate evaluation. Majority of our guest polls result from those who encountered a negative experience. This can help us improve, but overall displays a negative reflection of our store’s customer experience. After reading a few chapters of this book, I have become more knowledgeable of Public Relations and the importance of evaluating the success of any Public Relations activity. Paine’s book is a very useful resource tool to evaluate and measure public relationships. The success metrics such as the outputs, outtakes and outcomes were extremely useful to measure the effectiveness of my case study. I was also able to apply this knowledge in my current position to evaluate communication practices and measure the success within the company. Maximizing relationships is an important core role at my current job. The manual highlights the importance of maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with our publics. Everyday I please our guest and team members by delivering a Target Brand experience, as well as to negotiate solutions that benefit the guests when a situation occurs. An important aspect in any relationship is trust. Building trust with our publics (team members and guests) increases our sales as well as drives our store’s mission. Guest feedback is important to help measure our success. This chapter enabled me to think about our guests differently, as a way to increase surveys and results. Although survey scores are a very important measurement, I do not believe the results are an accurate evaluation. Majority of our guest polls result from those who encountered a negative experience. This can help us improve, but overall displays a negative reflection of our store’s customer experience. After reading a few chapters of this book, I have become more knowledgeable of Public Relations and the importance of evaluating the success of any Public Relations activity.

]]> By: Sunaina Bhatnagar http://www.intersectionofonlineandoffline.com/good-solid-measurement-outputs-outtakes-and-outcomes/comment-page-1/#comment-3573 Sunaina Bhatnagar Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:48:14 +0000 http://www.intersectionofonlineandoffline.com/?p=368#comment-3573 Many of my classmates above have used Katie Paine’s measuring tools to compare the outputs, outtakes, and/or outcomes in their own current jobs. I work at a dental office so I won’t go into the details of the outcome of gluing brackets on teeth or inserting steel wires in patients' mouths. I will, however, discuss my reaction to Paine’s engrossing and informative book and the versatility of her measuring tools. Since I started this public relations program, the classes I have taken have focused on strategizing campaigns marketing tactics, ethics in public relations, and various types of public relations writing. Thus, I was pleasantly new to the entire concept of measurements and their application in the public relations field. It is strange that measurements, something so imperative to the success of public relations, are often overlooked by working professionals in the field. After reading Paine’s insight and wisdom on measurements, including her take on ouputs, outtakes and outcomes, I thought that these measurements almost should seem intuitive to public relations professionals. Clearly, common sense is not so common. Why aren’t measurements constantly on our minds? Maybe because we are looking for the next, big campaign that will blow everyone away? I am not sure. All I know is that Paine’s book was immensely educational for me. I would also like to mention that she writes with such impeccable clarity. I would imagine that is not easy to write about equations and measuring tools, but Paine makes this look effortlessly easy with her clear and easy to understand writing style. As I said in my earlier post, I hope to be able to utilize this book fully when I am in a real public relations job. Until that day, I will read and ingrain Paine’s measurement philosophies in my brain until they are set in stone! Many of my classmates above have used Katie Paine’s measuring tools to compare the outputs, outtakes, and/or outcomes in their own current jobs. I work at a dental office so I won’t go into the details of the outcome of gluing brackets on teeth or inserting steel wires in patients’ mouths. I will, however, discuss my reaction to Paine’s engrossing and informative book and the versatility of her measuring tools.

Since I started this public relations program, the classes I have taken have focused on strategizing campaigns marketing tactics, ethics in public relations, and various types of public relations writing. Thus, I was pleasantly new to the entire concept of measurements and their application in the public relations field.

It is strange that measurements, something so imperative to the success of public relations, are often overlooked by working professionals in the field. After reading Paine’s insight and wisdom on measurements, including her take on ouputs, outtakes and outcomes, I thought that these measurements almost should seem intuitive to public relations professionals.

Clearly, common sense is not so common.

Why aren’t measurements constantly on our minds? Maybe because we are looking for the next, big campaign that will blow everyone away? I am not sure.

All I know is that Paine’s book was immensely educational for me. I would also like to mention that she writes with such impeccable clarity. I would imagine that is not easy to write about equations and measuring tools, but Paine makes this look effortlessly easy with her clear and easy to understand writing style.

As I said in my earlier post, I hope to be able to utilize this book fully when I am in a real public relations job. Until that day, I will read and ingrain Paine’s measurement philosophies in my brain until they are set in stone!

]]> By: Sunaina Bhatnagar http://www.intersectionofonlineandoffline.com/good-solid-measurement-outputs-outtakes-and-outcomes/comment-page-1/#comment-3572 Sunaina Bhatnagar Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:46:26 +0000 http://www.intersectionofonlineandoffline.com/?p=368#comment-3572 Many of my classmates above have used Katie Paine’s measuring tools to compare the outputs, outtakes, and/or outcomes in their own current jobs. I work at a dental office so I won’t go into the details of the outcome of gluing brackets on teeth and inserting steel wires in patient’s mouths. I will, however, discuss my reaction to Paine’s engrossing and informative book and the versatility of her measuring tools. Since I started this public relations program, the classes I have taken have focused on strategizing campaigns marketing tactics, ethics in public relations, and various types of public relations writing. Thus, I was pleasantly new to the entire concept of measurements and their application in the public relations field. It is strange that measurements, something so imperative to the success of public relations, are often overlooked by working professionals in the field. After reading Paine’s insight and wisdom on measurements, including her take on ouputs, outtakes and outcomes, I thought that these measurements almost should seem intuitive to public relations professionals. Clearly, common sense is not so common. Why aren’t measurements constantly on our minds? Maybe because we are looking for the next, big campaign that will blow everyone away? I am not sure. All I know is that Paine’s book was immensely educational for me. I would also like to mention that she writes with such impeccable clarity. I would imagine that is not easy to write about equations and measuring tools, but Paine makes this look effortlessly easy with her clear and easy to understand writing style. As I said in my earlier post, I hope to be able to utilize this book fully when I am in a real public relations job. Until that day, I will read and ingrain Paine’s measurement philosophies in my brain until they are set in stone! Many of my classmates above have used Katie Paine’s measuring tools to compare the outputs, outtakes, and/or outcomes in their own current jobs. I work at a dental office so I won’t go into the details of the outcome of gluing brackets on teeth and inserting steel wires in patient’s mouths. I will, however, discuss my reaction to Paine’s engrossing and informative book and the versatility of her measuring tools.

Since I started this public relations program, the classes I have taken have focused on strategizing campaigns marketing tactics, ethics in public relations, and various types of public relations writing. Thus, I was pleasantly new to the entire concept of measurements and their application in the public relations field.

It is strange that measurements, something so imperative to the success of public relations, are often overlooked by working professionals in the field. After reading Paine’s insight and wisdom on measurements, including her take on ouputs, outtakes and outcomes, I thought that these measurements almost should seem intuitive to public relations professionals.

Clearly, common sense is not so common.

Why aren’t measurements constantly on our minds? Maybe because we are looking for the next, big campaign that will blow everyone away? I am not sure.

All I know is that Paine’s book was immensely educational for me. I would also like to mention that she writes with such impeccable clarity. I would imagine that is not easy to write about equations and measuring tools, but Paine makes this look effortlessly easy with her clear and easy to understand writing style.

As I said in my earlier post, I hope to be able to utilize this book fully when I am in a real public relations job. Until that day, I will read and ingrain Paine’s measurement philosophies in my brain until they are set in stone!

]]> By: Jacqueline http://www.intersectionofonlineandoffline.com/good-solid-measurement-outputs-outtakes-and-outcomes/comment-page-1/#comment-3571 Jacqueline Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:47:13 +0000 http://www.intersectionofonlineandoffline.com/?p=368#comment-3571 My original question regarding KD Paine's work in measurement was around distinguishing what the target audience is exposed to in the communications/marketing mix in order to 'see' the impact of public relations. I was fortunate enough today to attend the PRSA-NCC event on using measurement to promote your function and I think I got my answer when Katie responded to an audience question on bridging the gap between outtakes and outcomes. THE ANSWER: Paine says you can only measure the impact of NOT doing public relations. I understand that to mean if you have an advertising campaign for your product, you first implement without public relations support and measure the results of that. When you go on to introduce a public relations component you then have existing data against which you can benchmark the correlation between the lack of public relations as part of your mix and impact on sales. Our own Barbar Coons, also on the panel, emphasised the importance of clearly defining your role in the mix so that you can clearly articulate what you bring to the process and also be able to measure the part which you responsible for. Katie highlighted that many of us allow ourselves to be bogged down with the unrealistic expectations of others, i.e. a boss that thinks you can drive up sales soley through your campaign. She argues that actually you are not responsible for sales, that's marketing's job. For example, if you are responsible for raising spokesperson visibility then that is all you should be measuring. The fact that the spokesperson's high profile has a positive effect on sales does not make sales your function to measure. My original question regarding KD Paine’s work in measurement was around distinguishing what the target audience is exposed to in the communications/marketing mix in order to ’see’ the impact of public relations.

I was fortunate enough today to attend the PRSA-NCC event on using measurement to promote your function and I think I got my answer when Katie responded to an audience question on bridging the gap between outtakes and outcomes.

THE ANSWER: Paine says you can only measure the impact of NOT doing public relations.

I understand that to mean if you have an advertising campaign for your product, you first implement without public relations support and measure the results of that. When you go on to introduce a public relations component you then have existing data against which you can benchmark the correlation between the lack of public relations as part of your mix and impact on sales.

Our own Barbar Coons, also on the panel, emphasised the importance of clearly defining your role in the mix so that you can clearly articulate what you bring to the process and also be able to measure the part which you responsible for.

Katie highlighted that many of us allow ourselves to be bogged down with the unrealistic expectations of others, i.e. a boss that thinks you can drive up sales soley through your campaign. She argues that actually you are not responsible for sales, that’s marketing’s job. For example, if you are responsible for raising spokesperson visibility then that is all you should be measuring. The fact that the spokesperson’s high profile has a positive effect on sales does not make sales your function to measure.

]]> By: sakshi jain http://www.intersectionofonlineandoffline.com/good-solid-measurement-outputs-outtakes-and-outcomes/comment-page-1/#comment-3568 sakshi jain Wed, 25 Feb 2009 06:21:09 +0000 http://www.intersectionofonlineandoffline.com/?p=368#comment-3568 The art of persuasion is necessary arsenal in any occupation, and no less so than in the field of public relations. Katie Paine’s exploration of measurement can be summarized with one succinct question that most communications professionals endeavor to answer: How well have I persuaded my audience? The “how well” is a metric that requires an unbiased, objective evaluation of one’s efforts using tools that measure results over time, such as percentage increase in sales over the course of the year, or percentage increase in web traffic (month to month), depending on the program or product evaluated. To answer the proverbial question effectively, Katie categorizes PR efforts into the following three metrics that measure relationships: Outputs: the tangible results of a concerted effort to influence opinion (# of clippings, etc, conveying key messages) Outtakes: the change in attitude or perception of your target audience as a result of the Outputs Outcome: the resulting change in behavior attributable to the outputs and outtakes of a public relations program Thus, to motivate behavioral change in your audience, you must first change perception, and to influence perception, key messages must be conveyed to the audience in question through tactical vehicles (white papers, blogs, press releases, news articles, speaking engagements, etc). Implementing measurement tools at each stage (output, outtake and outcome) is strategic and allows a PR practitioner to quickly identify strengths and weaknesses of any program, directing efforts and funding into those outputs that lead to the desired outcome and minimizing or eliminating use of outputs that, quite frankly, don’t measure up. These principles can be applied to any profession: in my own line of business development operations, the Outputs are the bid responses developed by our company that are designed to sway a customer to choose us over a competitor. The Outtakes and Outcome in our case or two sides of the same coin: a contract awarded to us means we have changed both, the client’s perception of us and their behavior. But all too often, businesses allow measurements to fall to the wayside as programs are executed over the long term without regular checks and balances to ensure the same idea that was great 8 months ago is still viable today. Katie’s book tells us that measuring the 3 O’s isn’t to be done once, but continuously to reap the maximum benefit at minimum cost. The art of persuasion is necessary arsenal in any occupation, and no less so than in the field of public relations. Katie Paine’s exploration of measurement can be summarized with one succinct question that most communications professionals endeavor to answer: How well have I persuaded my audience? The “how well” is a metric that requires an unbiased, objective evaluation of one’s efforts using tools that measure results over time, such as percentage increase in sales over the course of the year, or percentage increase in web traffic (month to month), depending on the program or product evaluated.
To answer the proverbial question effectively, Katie categorizes PR efforts into the following three metrics that measure relationships:
Outputs: the tangible results of a concerted effort to influence opinion (# of clippings, etc, conveying key messages)
Outtakes: the change in attitude or perception of your target audience as a result of the Outputs
Outcome: the resulting change in behavior attributable to the outputs and outtakes of a public relations program
Thus, to motivate behavioral change in your audience, you must first change perception, and to influence perception, key messages must be conveyed to the audience in question through tactical vehicles (white papers, blogs, press releases, news articles, speaking engagements, etc). Implementing measurement tools at each stage (output, outtake and outcome) is strategic and allows a PR practitioner to quickly identify strengths and weaknesses of any program, directing efforts and funding into those outputs that lead to the desired outcome and minimizing or eliminating use of outputs that, quite frankly, don’t measure up.
These principles can be applied to any profession: in my own line of business development operations, the Outputs are the bid responses developed by our company that are designed to sway a customer to choose us over a competitor. The Outtakes and Outcome in our case or two sides of the same coin: a contract awarded to us means we have changed both, the client’s perception of us and their behavior.
But all too often, businesses allow measurements to fall to the wayside as programs are executed over the long term without regular checks and balances to ensure the same idea that was great 8 months ago is still viable today. Katie’s book tells us that measuring the 3 O’s isn’t to be done once, but continuously to reap the maximum benefit at minimum cost.

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