The Issues Management Division offers state of the art, results-orientated analysis that, in common with all Mantra services, add value and competitive edge to public relations performance. 

How will an audit and analysis of issues enhance public relations?

• Because public relation is much more than communications;
  • it is what the organisation does and not just what it says
    
• Good public relations people are not just the voice of the organisation;
  • but the eyes and ears, even the custodians of integrity
    
• Real public relations is about high-ground values not spin, or whitewash;
  • companies win the reputations they deserve
    
• True public relations effectiveness is measured in goodwill and support;
  • favourable attitudes encourage positive actions
    
• The managers of the function are really the managers of reputation;
  • and reputation is a major factor in every important decision

Good public relations is a strategic function that should help ensure corporate policies and major decisions win the maximum support of key publics that the organisation depends on for success.

Every programme ever developed should be built upon an understanding of issues facing the organisation not just today, but those coming up over the horizon; this approach adds competitive edge and substantial market authority.

What an issues audit can offer

Good public relations programmes should not be built alone around the news and the media, however important these might be.  News-based programmes risk the messages getting distorted or the organisation competing on an agenda that it cannot control.  How often do chief executives find this approach ends in a disappointing presentation of the corporation, its products and services, the calibre of its people and what it is trying to achieve?

Converting business activity into news material can only succeed if it meets the needs of the editors and journalists working in media sectors that matter to the various audiences the company is trying to influence.  But the journalists’ job is to discuss what is different what is new, what is controversial.  Is that always what the organisation wants to project?

By monitoring, researching and evaluating the positive, negative and neutral issues within which the organisation operates, the Issues Analysis Division of Mantra can develop polices for communications that really works.  This can minimise risks and maximise competitiveness.  And the company that is on top of the issues, will have the massive advantage of thought-through policies and will understand all the implications that each brings.  A visionary appraisal of issues and an intelligent analysis of these can add real impact, the essence of good media coverage.

Of course, through such detailed and thoughtful analysis, we can also help clients develop programmes that present the company values and ambitions; position senior executives as authorities in their sectors; manage media activity; promote products and services; monitor perceptions; build relations with all the publics that the organisation depends upon for success; and evaluate performance to deliver the highest communications value.

Services from Mantra

Issues auditing
We offer the world’s first issues auditing service.  This covers monitoring and evaluating all issues here today and coming up over the horizon.  The recommendations from this minimises the risk from those that are potentially negative, maximises the benefits from the positives.  Experience shows that many are actually neutral and that, often, organisations do not recognise the potential in these.  Issues that affect every organisation in the sector equally provide major opportunities for building competitive edge.   Such an audit can unite all company disciplines in a powerful focus on what really matters for success.  It can be undertaken in weeks and usually at a cost of 10% or less of the marketing or communications budgets.  It will offer valuable insights and guidance to all communications, sales and operational professionals

Communications auditing
How do companies know they are spending their communications budgets effectively and in the right areas?  A communications audit checks all activities and compares these with all the audiences upon whose goodwill the organisation depends.  Then we look at the perceptions across these groups and how they are being influenced by the communications efforts.  From this comes an analysis that can precisely pinpoint the value of the efforts, strengths that could be reinforced, any weaknesses, gaps or overlaps and what management should do to improve the current effectiveness.  In some cases, this will show how to focus activities and make savings of 15% or more.

Strategic communications consultancy and planning
The division offers advisory services that help shape public relations, advertising, marketing, customer care and other relationship initiatives.  Our services run in parallel with existing activities to help develop planning and effectiveness.  We have proven methods that mean the organisation’s communications are working to measurable objectives and not vague aims.  Programmes that deliver against objectives that can be measured represent real performance.  We can advise on proven processes that give precise control over activity.  Our professionals can help introduce effective and simple processes for managing the development of relationships and the measurement of performance.  From these approaches, we can plan programmes of activity to achieve measurable results that not only demonstrate the value generated but precisely identify areas for improvement.