I would like to start this blog post by saying, by the end of it, you will want to kiss me.
Therefore, I have set up a Binny’s account where you can send me a virtual kiss, in the form of a bottle of wine.
Choose from the wine listed, put in your credit card information, hit purchase and it will magically appear on my doorstep.
(I’m just kidding about the wine, but not about the kiss!)
Last week, the international organization that is obsessed with measurement for communicators, released the AMEC integrated evaluation framework.
This is the same organization that brought us the Barcelona Principles a few years ago.
It is the same organization that, around the same that Marketing in the Round was published, called for a breakdown of silos so communications, marketing, advertising, customer service…and, well, everyone else could work together.
It is the same organization that acts as the voice for public relations research and measurement.
It is the same organization that provides measurement and metric research, intelligence, and insights.
And now they are the same organization that is going to make it incredibly easy for you to plan, execute, measure, improve, and report a fully integrated communications program.
The AMEC Integrated Evaluation Framework
Built with the PESO model in mind, the AMEC integrated evaluation framework takes a look at the following:
- Objectives
- Inputs
- Activity
- Outputs
- Outtakes
- Outcomes
- Impact
Not only does it help you determine the best fit for those seven points, it provides supporting documentation, such as a taxonomy, that gives you tons of examples that fall under each.
For instance, if you aren’t sure what to include under “outtakes,” it walks you through different metrics that cover key steps, milestones, and methods of evaluation.
All you have to do is look through the light purple column and you have lots of examples, such as:
- Key steps: Attention, awareness, engagement
- Milestones: Unique visitors, positive comments, subscribers, inquiries
- Evaluation: Web stats, audience surveys, focus groups, interviews
As well, there are expert opinions, resources, downloads, and endorsements (you’ll see in several spots, I am VERY excited about this for our industry).
How It Works
But here’s the coolest part: The actual AMEC integrated evaluation framework helps you plan for a measurable, results-driven program.
This is what it looks like:
It’s pretty and colorful, but the real value is in the interaction.
If you click on that image, it will take you to the interactive part.
You start with objectives, fill them in, and go on to inputs. You continue that until you finish step seven, and then click submit.
When you are finished, you get a plan that looks like this (with your information filled in, of course):
Now you have a one page communications plan that is incredibly easy to execute against, and includes metrics that you can report on weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually.
And, as a bonus, you can easily take this and create your awards submissions for PRSA, IABC, BMA, AMA, Webby’s, and wherever else your heart desires.
Metrics Made Easy!
I really, really like this because it does not allow you to create a plan without real metrics that drive real organizational results.
It takes all of the things we talk about, in terms of metrics, and makes it incredibly easy for you to track the things that make the most sense for your organization.
It also removes media impressions, advertising equivalencies, and other vanity metrics as “impact” metrics.
You may find some of those things in outtakes and outputs, but not in impact.
So go check it out. Play with it. Create your plan for the second half of the year (after all, third quarter begins in only nine days). And then come back here and kiss me.
You’re welcome.
