The rules of PR measurement are changing - drastically.

In 2010, public relations professionals from around the world came together to set new standards for measuring PR effectiveness called the Barcelona Principles.

Among other things, these new standards heavily emphasize the process of measurement from beginning to end. Specifically, they outline 3 distinct groups of measurable metrics that require different types of evaluation.

These newly defined focus points - the 3 O's - can help your garden business optimize your measuring practices.

Keep reading to learn how the 3 O's of the Barcelona Principles can help you evaluate where your garden business stands.

1. Outputs

Garden Media Group has been measuring outputs in public relations success for years. 

What's changing now is the way we define outputs.

Output used to be a synonym for return on investment, or ROI, in public relations. Now, outputs include any metric that measures impact on media members or a specific channel.

In other words, measuring outputs is all about focusing on how many and what kind of media outlets your PR efforts impacted.

Primarily, your garden business should monitor the reach and visibility of your media sources.

2. Outcomes

Many people used to view outcomes and outputs as the same thing, but the new standards have put an end to that.

While outputs mainly measure quantity and distribution, outcome focuses on evaluating the impact those outputs had on consumers.

Examples of outcome metrics include measurements of brand awareness, gained credibility, and overall knowledge within your target consumer base.

Collecting this data can be done through surveys or point of sale inquiries. 

3. Organizational Results

Where outcomes evaluate qualitative impact on consumers, organizational metrics are geared toward measuring the impact of PR efforts on your business - making it arguably one of the most important metrics.

If your garden business has measured outputs and outcomes independently, you can measure a number of organizational results more accurately than ever before - with less effort!

Market share, sales and reputation value are all returns that your garden business can calculate and use to evaluate your public relations program.

Knowledge of the impact of PR on your garden business will allow you to tweak your marketing strategies and continue to grow. 

Interested in Learning How To Get Results Worth Measuring? Download Our Free Media Relations Case Study Today!