The ‘M’ Word

By Kristen Paquet, Sr. Account Executive

In order for a communications plan to be effective you need to take a well-rounded approach to the development of the plan, its implementation and, of course, the dreaded ‘M’ word… measurement.

I know, it’s not glamorous, and not always an exciting job, but measuring your progress and/or success is quite necessary. How can you tell if what you are doing is effective, or if the message you want to share is being heard, if you don’t ask the audience you are trying to reach?  

Many people think that measuring progress is full of mathematical equations and pie charts, but there are really only a few things you need to know to get started:

Know what you want to measure before you start. When developing a communications plan, determine the goals you want to meet and how you will measure your success. Doing this during the planning stage will help ensure that when it comes time to measure your success you’ll be asking the right questions.

Measurement can take many forms. Measurement doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. It can be a quick online survey, using statistics generated from a website or social media platform or reactions from target group. Just be sure to choose a measurement tool that resonates best with your audience and will provide the most accurate results.

Do it often, but not too much. Measuring the success of your communications campaign after the first year is critical, but don’t rest on the results of just one year. Consider conducting some form of measurement on a semi-annual basis to make sure you are still meeting the goals you set, are considering new goals and reaching your audience.