| Plexus Consulting Group | Success Stories | ||
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American Association of Public Relations Firms |
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Situation For several years, the public relations business in the United States – faced with changes, challenges, and new developments in the communications industry – discussed the need to establish a trade association that would represent the gamut of public relations firms and serve their interests. Industry leaders believed that an association would provide many useful services: engage in advocacy and government relations, set professional standards, offer professional development, conduct market trend analysis, and create benchmarking standards. One major obstacle to building such an association, however, was the differing priorities of small and large firms. Industry leaders, representing the largest public relations firms, were persuaded that to be successful, the association would need to include firms of all sizes. Only with such broad representation would the association be financially feasible and truly representative of the industry. If the industry leadership was to succeed in creating a trade association, it would need to find a way to address this obstacle, as well as overcome the other challenges involved in creating a new organization. Action A steering committee, composed of public relations firms of various sizes and committed to developing a trade association, contacted Plexus Consulting Group. In order to turn their idea into a reality, they needed a sound approach and effective procedures. Responding to their needs, Plexus Consulting developed, proposed, and implemented a five-phase plan for creating the association of public relations firms. As a first step, Plexus Consulting launched an intensive survey of both large and small firms, designed to elicit their opinions about the needs and challenges facing the industry. This market research included both a quantitative survey, which provided a snapshot of the industry, and a qualitative survey, which gathered the opinions of leaders throughout the industry. Next, Plexus invited firms to participate in one of nine focus groups sessions, held in three cities. These focus groups were conducted to review and explain the survey results, position the association as a voice for members of every size, and create volunteer task forces to develop and rank the association’s strategic objectives. These objectives were met. Working with the volunteer task forces that emerged from the focus groups, Plexus developed business plans, including associated costs, for each strategic element of four aspects of the association: governance and bylaws, member services, public relations, and government relations. In this way, Plexus turned task force ideas into specific procedures that could be implemented. Plexus remained faithful to survey findings, drew heavily on the advice of the task forces, and succeeded in providing the steering committee with what it needed. It led the committee in designing a Board structure and a dues schedule that emphasized the quality of members without alienating the largest firms. It also reported on ideas emanating from the task forces and drafted the articles of incorporation and association bylaws. Results This work led to the fourth phase of the Plexus plan. The steering committee met to refine and adapt the focus group ideas. The outcome was a document that served not only as a strategic working plan for the association but as a marketing resource and a guide to services. It also affirmed the original goals of those interested in making the association work. The final step of this project, was to assist the new association as it selected and hired its leader – an important choice, since the leader would serve as both spokesperson and industry expert. As this individual was selected, and as the other program elements were put in place, Plexus assured the necessary support. During this final, transitional phase, the new entity became a fully self-operating organization. An effective, new association came to exist where before there was none, and Plexus helped to create and structure it |
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