A new paper by the Institute for Public Relations' Commission on Public Relations Measurement & Evaluation members Katie Paine, Pauline Draper and Angela Jeffrey focuses on tying public relations programs to business results. It examines how a variety of organizations have used PR measurement to demonstrate real business outcomes of their efforts.

Most communicators "worry more about 'how' to do the measurement than about 'what' to do with the results once you have them," according to the paper. "We suggest that you remove the term 'measurement' from the equation altogether, and replace it with 'data-driven decision-making.”

They recommend a focus on “getting data with which to make better decisions” rather than simply judging prior performance. Making decisions based on data saves time and boosts credibility according to the authors.

The paper uses case studies to illustrate examples of using measurement to improve or modify PR strategies such as:

• Determining Which Tactics are Working or not Working

• Using Research to Win Support for Your Strategy

• Achieving Corporate Goals in Retail

• Measuring PR’s Contribution to Sales

The paper is intended to be an idea-starter on how public relations professionals can utilize research to demonstrate their ability to truly affect organizational outcomes. A Measurement Matrix in the Appendix provides additional ideas on how to mix and match various measurement techniques to ensure that the right kind of data is being collected upon which to base assumptions and decisions.