You want to sell your products or services, and that means good money management, top quality products or services, and hard work on your part. But, for REAL success, the icing on the cake is public relations.
Here's why. People act on their perception of the facts about you; those perceptions lead to certain, predictable behaviors; and, best of all, something can be done about both that will lead to achieving your objectives.
First, public relations creates, changes or reinforces public opinion -- you know, all those perceptions we just talked about.
Then it reaches, persuades and moves-to-actions-you-desire those very people whose behaviors affect your business. We're talking about actions like new customer development, retention of long-time patrons and increased product purchases.
Now, when you can actually see those behaviors you want so badly (hopefully matching the behaviors you said upfront you wanted), the public relations effort is complete, and a success.
How do you pull this off?
If you follow a game plan like this one, you should rank in order-of-importance those audiences with an interest in your organization, often referred to as stakeholders or "publics." They would include customers, prospects, media, the business community and local thought-leaders as well as a number of other interested groups.
What Do They Think of You?
You should interact with those audiences and gather their impressions of your organization, in particular, areas where problems may be brewing. Ask questions. Notice any negativity? Misconceptions? Inaccuracies? Rumors?
This is information gathering, opinion sampling, informal polling, if you will, but essential to any public relations effort. If resources are available, a modest opinion poll of the #1 priority audience also would be helpful.
How Much Behavioral Change is Needed?
Well, with opinion sampling of one kind or another underway, it's a good time to focus on any negative perceptions you discovered. Once they're identified and understood, a marker can be set down setting the degree of behavioral change you would like and that realistically can be expected and monitored in an agreed-upon time frame..
This becomes the goal against which the public relations program will finally be measured.
Create, Change or Reinforce Opinion?
Now, should those key audience perceptions be created from scratch, nudged in one direction or another, or simply reinforced? An important decision, because it will influence the direction, content and tone of all of your communications. Make it carefully.
The Persuasive Message
Once that decision is made, it's time to prepare messages tailored to each audience that, while providing details about your products and services, indirectly address those problem areas that came up during the information gathering meetings. Then, while you do the persuasive messages needed to bring those folks around, be guided by your behavior modification goal as well as the perception changes needed to achieve it.
Reaching Your Audience
How will you communicate each message to its audience? How will you reach these people? Your choices include face-to-face meetings, briefings, speeches, news releases, news announcement luncheons, emailings, media interviews, facility tours, special promotional events, a brochure, and a variety of other communications tactics.
And don't forget special event exposures as a means for reaching those target audiences with your messages. They usually make news and include activities such as open houses, roadshows, awards ceremonies, trade shows and contests.
Media That Target Your Audience
It sounds elementary, but selecting the right media to carry your messages demands that you be certain that each communications tool zeros in directly on the target audience. Example: little sense in using ride-time (rush hour) radio appearances if you're trying to reach retirees.
Signs of Improvement
So, how will you know whether your efforts are actually changing perceptions (and behaviors) for the better? As time passes, experience tells us that you will begin to notice increased awareness of your business and its role in the marketplace; a growing receptiveness to your messages by customers; increased public perception of the role your organization plays in its industry and in the community, as well as increasing numbers of prospects.
Achieving The Goal
To track actual results, you must speak once again - and on a regular basis -- with people among each of your key audiences. And also by monitoring print and broadcast media for mentions of your messages or viewpoints.
Each of these indicators will reflect how local feelings about your organization are changing. In turn, this will allow you to adjust your communications tactics in pursuit of the perceptions and behaviors you seek
The effort is worth it. Done correctly, when public relations results in altered perceptions and modified behaviors among groups of people important to your organization, you're talking about nothing less than its survival.
Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@tni.net.
Robert A. Kelly ? 2003.
Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communi- cations, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations.
Visit:bobkelly@tni.net; bobkelly@tni.net
disinfecting cleaning services Winnetka ..It's one thing for a senior manager to approve story... Read More
Non-news professionals often have a hard time understanding why their... Read More
If you manage a department, division or subsidiary for a... Read More
Gaining news coverage on a successful press tour requires planning,... Read More
If your reading this, you must be online and most... Read More
Done right, it helps modify the behaviors of your most... Read More
HOW TO BE RELAXED AND EFFECTIVE ON-AIRHow does one stay... Read More
There is a process for successfully getting publicity about your... Read More
Where is there a business, non-profit or association manager who... Read More
It's not unusual for clients of service providers to insist... Read More
Wherever the fundamental premise of public relations is practiced.Look at... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, you have a... Read More
When special events and communications tactics rule the PR roost... Read More
You never know when 60 Minutes will knock on your... Read More
The world has woken up to ethical issues in corporate... Read More
How to write a press release is a major challenge... Read More
You have a story to tell. Your company has developed... Read More
As the practice of public relations in China continues to... Read More
Think that you aren't big enough for national media coverage?... Read More
Once considered the stepchild of the publishing industry, custom publishing... Read More
Press reviews are a common and basic feature for surveying... Read More
Most business, non-profit and association managers live to tell about... Read More
Imagine you're in the breakfast cereal business. You make the... Read More
The next time a newspaper photographer takes your photo, remember... Read More
Who wants to face the challenges of a business recovery... Read More
last minute cleaning help Highland Park ..You worked hard to get a story on your business... Read More
Reporters, by nature, are curious people.If you can get them... Read More
Shooting from the hip always creates anxiety.Especially when managers order... Read More
And hurt bad if you are a business, non-profit or... Read More
The media's role is to package and spread news, current... Read More
Things are pleasant for many business, non-profit or association managers... Read More
Excerpted from "Selling Goodness- The Guerrilla PR Guide To Promoting... Read More
You never know when 60 Minutes will knock on your... Read More
If, as is often the case, you are preoccupied with... Read More
Public relations is all about credibility and trustworthiness. If you... Read More
The real public relations geniuses might be managers. You know,... Read More
If a reporter approached you about an interview, would you... Read More
Only two media in Spanish speaking countries offer RSS: the... Read More
A PR product or service launching is a perfect way... Read More
Yes, you can call a reporter.I've said it before, in... Read More
Writing a press (or media) release is quite an art... Read More
The reason might be this simple: as a business, non-profit... Read More
Smaller companies don't always have the budget - or inclination... Read More
To survive in business, you've got to focus your attention... Read More
Attention: Who Else Wants To Get Publicity Whenever You Want... Read More
Journalists are trained and often experienced at getting information out... Read More
You can SO measure return-on-investment for a public relations program!Try... Read More
If I were coaching you as a business, non-profit or... Read More
It happens to business, non-profit and association managers when their... Read More
Stripped down to its core, publicity is little more than... Read More
Public Relations |