PR Smith

Paul Smith, known professionally as PR Smith, is a marketing strategist, international speaker, and author with a significant impact on marketing planning across various industries. Smith developed the SOSTAC framework, formalized in his book "Marketing Communications," and further explored in titles such as "SOSTAC Guide to Your Perfect Digital Marketing Plan" and "SOSTAC Guide to Your Perfect Digital Marketing Plan 2025 (the AI Edition)." SOSTAC, which stands for Situation, Objectives, Strategy, Tactics, Action, and Control, is a marketing and business planning framework widely adopted by marketing professionals, start-ups, and multinational companies.

The SOSTAC framework has been recognized among the top business models in the Chartered Institute of Marketing's Centenary Poll and has been implemented by organizations including LinkedIn and KPMG. Its popularity is attributed to its straightforward structure, enabling quick learning and comprehensive, data-driven, customer-centric planning. Smith's books, including "Digital Marketing Excellence" (co-authored with Dave Chaffey) and "Marketing Communications," have been translated into several languages and are used by marketing practitioners and students globally.

Smith is a digital marketer, international speaker, TEDx presenter, and author of seven books translated into eight languages. He has provided training, advisory, mentoring, and coaching services to organizations such as KPMG, LinkedIn, IBM, and various start-ups. Smith previously served as a senior lecturer and later became the founding director and managing director of a consortium of British universities' e-learning marketing program. He also held the position of the first Chartered Institute of Marketing "Emarketing" senior examiner, contributing to the development of digital marketing education.

A fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and the Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing, Smith has supported a wide range of businesses, from start-ups to established corporations. His SOSTAC certification program at SOSTAC.org enables marketing professionals to become credentialed planners. Smith also founded the NFP Great Sportsmanship Programme, which promotes global citizenship through stories about sportsmanship. Through keynote addresses, masterclasses, and public discussions on AI, innovation, and ethics in marketing, Smith continues to influence the field of strategic marketing planning.