Engaging Data: Smart Strategies for School Communication

by Trinette Marquis

Overview

The demand for effective communication and marketing at the campus and district level has never been more urgent and educational agencies have limited resources that can be directed to these efforts. It is important that our time and energy are directed towards those communication and marketing strategies that will have the most significant impact. Through practical advice, useful examples, and detailed case studies, this book will provide a compelling case for using data to maximize school communication. Whether you are a seasoned PR pro or someone who has taken on communication as one of many duties, there will be at least one money-saving, impact-increasing idea that makes reading this book well worth your time.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781475841886
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	06/04/2018
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	5.99(w) x 9.03(h) x 0.45(d)

About the Author

Trinette Marquis is Past President of the California School Public Relations Association, Consultant and Part-time Professor at CSU Sacramento. She is passionate about working with public schools and improving school community relationships. Her work has been recognized by the National School Public Relations Association, Medical Marketing Association, and the International Association of Business Communicators.

Table of Contents

Foreword xi

Preface xv

Acknowledgments xvii

Introduction xix

1 The Case for Data 1

2 The Four-Step Public Relations Process 11

3 Research, Easier than You Might Think 19

4 Data, Data Everywhere 25

5 Designing Surveys that Truly Listen 31

6 What Gets Measured Gets Done: Creating Accountability 41

7 Analytics, the Low-Hanging Data Fruit 49

8 Low(er) Tech Tracking Ideas 59

9 Making Data Accessible 65

10 Qualitative Research, Understanding the Richness of Experience 71

11 When the Data Is Hard to Swallow 79

12 No PR Person, No Problem! 85

Appendix A Sample Communication Plan 97

Appendix B Sample Communication Survey Questions 103

Appendix C Training Ideas to Expand Communications Function 107

Appendix D Four-Step Process Campaign Example 109

Appendix E Communication Options Worksheet 113

Glossary 115

Resources 117

About the Author 119

Editorial Reviews

Data-Driven Communication is more than another academic recitation of public relations principles. Trinette Marquis-Hobbs has provided the principles of PR in a way that is approachable and easily digestible for any practitioner, whether they have been working in school PR for two decades or two weeks. But more than making the principles approachable, Trinette has provided examples that bring the principles to life — something that is so often lacking from PR texts. She demonstrates how data can transform the practice of PR so that it is impacting student learning. I’ve attended numerous sessions Trinette has presented at national conferences and had great success implementing the very practices outlined in this book, I urge every school PR professional to run to their local bookseller and pick up a copy. You will not be disappointed. In fact, you just may find your practice is more organized and effective at achieving measured goals.

Krystyna M. Baumgartner

This book is a must-have for any school PR practitioner. Whether you are a one-person shop who is new to the field or a seasoned professional with a team of resources at your disposal, the knowledge and insight into effectively collecting and using data will be invaluable additions to your communications toolbox. This book is a perfect example of why Trinette is a well-known and respected authority in data-driven communications and leadership. She offers readers a detailed look at the importance of using data to drive communication efforts and provides easy-to-understand processes for collecting, analyzing and utilizing data to better support the schools and communities you serve.

Curtis Campbell

Author Trinette Marquis makes a compelling case for data as she propels readers beyond their fear of research to a place of curiosity and comfort. Her enthusiasm for research and evaluation is contagious and readers can’t help but see data differently. Learn practical ways to track your communication efforts and measure success from one of the foremost experts on data-driven PR. Read this book and it will forever change how you approach public engagement.

Julie Thannum

Trinette Marquis mines her years of in-the-trenches PR work to make strategic school communications easy to understand and implement. The book provides practical tips for each of the steps required to effectively design and carry out a successful PR campaign.

Music Watson

Have you ever asked yourself what you should do about a problem or how you’ll know if your efforts are successful? Trinette Marquis can help you answer those and many other questions. The consummate data geek, her passion for research and data-driven decision making is infectious. As a teacher and a professional, Trinette provides creative ways to conduct research that help overcome budget, staffing and resource shortfalls so that your campaign launches with solid data and collects the information you’ll need to measure its effectiveness.

Trent Allen

A data-driven, golden nugget for any school leader who wants to maximize effective communication and marketing efforts. The step-by-step chapters dig deep into conducting research, how to build measurable objectives and simple ways to report on your public relations efforts. Schools and districts everywhere could use a little guidance to ensure all families are being reached.These samples and templates are a huge help!

Heidi Vega

Without data to inform public relations, you have no foundation for the communications “house” you’re trying to build for your school district. Things will fall apart fast. Author and school public relations expert Trinette Marquis Hobbs makes this case for all public relations professionals in “Data Driven PR,” a well-stocked guide to demographics, psychographics, RACE, metrics, user flow, click rates, Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, and more. If you’re not familiar with these terms, and haven’t yet discovered the value of data to inform the way you work, then this book is for you.

Evelyn McCormack