In its 2017 Global Communications Report, the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations asked communication executives how they felt public relations could increase its value to organisation. Interestingly, measurement of results was not their top choice (34%). Overwhelmingly, they selected demonstrating how PR achieves business objectives (77%). “This is the area where the profession continues to struggle”, says the report. “Of course, this requires measurement, but requires a more sophisticated and integrated approach that focuses on less-tangible variables like brand reputation and purchase intent.”
Another interesting finding of the report defines strategic planning as the nr. 1 skill a communications person need.

Source: 2017 Global Communications Report, USC Annenberg, Center for Public Relations
The 2017 Global Communications Report surveyed more than 800 public relations, communications and marketing executives around the world.
Our take: Happy to see these findings confirm the value of our Value Navigator. Our proprietary instrument to plan, steer and show the value of business communication emerged from these observations. It has been developed to support and grow communication professionals in these two top rated needs: strategic planning and linking communication outcomes to business results. For us, both needs are sides of the same coin.