Almost assuredly you do, especially when your most important external and internal audiences behave in ways that stop you from achieving your organizational objectives.
With that attitude, you could have a long wait before you see community leaders strengthening their bonds with you; customers making repeat purchases; unions bargaining more frequently in good faith; prospects becoming customers; employees beginning to value their jobs; political leaders and legislators starting to think of you as a key player in the business community, and suppliers working hard to expand your relationship.
Lighten up and use public relations in your own best interest, and benefit from a really cost-effective assist to your business, non-profit or association.
And there's another reason to do so. Tough times require tough tactics. Luckily, PR firepower can do for you what it was meant to do ? help you achieve your operating objectives by moving those people whose behaviors have the greatest impact on your organization, to actions YOU desire,
You know it's worth it, so give it a shot!
Best place to start is by listing your most important audiences, or "publics," and ranking them according to the impact they have on your enterprise. Let's work on the outside audience at the top of that list.
How aware are you and your colleagues as to how that audience views you? Could there be negative perceptions out there that, inevitably, will morph into behaviors that hurt your organization?
You really can't afford to ignore that possibility.
So get out there and interact with members of that target audience and ask questions. The alternative is to spend a LOT of money on a professional survey. Instead, make the time commitment to do some home-grown research. After all, PR best practice says you should be in regular touch with target audience members anyway, so this interaction is probably long overdue.
Ask questions like "Do you know anything about us? Have you heard anything good or bad about us?" Stay alert to hesitant and evasive responses. Notice any negative undertones? Do inaccuracies crop up? Any misconceptions or rumors that need your attention?
The answers you gather are the fodder for your new public relations goal ? i.e., the specific perception to be altered, followed by the behavior change you want.
Which requires that you set a public relations goal aimed at clearing up that misconception or nameless concern, correcting that inaccuracy or untrue belief, or disarming that rumor for good.
Now, what happens to that goal? You select a strategy to get you where you want to be. The choices are few indeed when it comes to perception and opinion. You can create perception where there isn't any, change existing perception, or reinforce it. That's it. You should, however, match your strategy selection to your newly-established public relations goal.
Clearly, the most sensitive, even difficult step in this problem- solving sequence is message preparation. At ther same time, it's your opportunity to write something that will change somebody's opinion, and that is a really satisfying experience.
First, your message must stick to its knitting and not ramble. Address the inaccuracy, misconception, untruth or rumor clearly and in a believable and as compelling a manner as possible. Remember what it must do if the public relations program is to be successful ? alter, change or reinforce what a lot of people believe. And that is a big job and a big responsibility.
If the message is the bullet, your "beasts of burden" are the gun, the means by which your communications tactics carry your message to the eyes and ears of members of the target audience.
And what a list of tactics offer themselves to you. Everything from open houses, feature articles, press releases and speeches to personal contacts, broadcast appearances, newspaper interviews and so many more.
Your measuring stick for each tactic is, does it have a proven track record for reaching people like those who make up your target audience?
So, you will get antsy and wonder if you're making any headway with your new public relations program. Best way to tell is to monitor target audience perceptions all over again. Use questions similar to your first monitoring session.
Big difference this time, however. Now, you need to see indications that perceptions are being altered as a result of your corrective message.
If you want to speed things up, you can always add a few more tactics to the mix, AND increase some of their frequencies. The message should also be re-evaluated for the strength and persuasiveness of its underlying facts, as well as impact and clarity.
Yes, you may believe you "don't need no stinking PR," but there's no denying that people in your area behave like everyone else ? they take actions based on their perception of the facts they hear about you and your operation. So, you must deal promptly and effectively with those perceptions by doing what is necessary to reach them.
And what that means is, in your own best interest, you must persuade many of your stakeholders to your way of thinking, thus moving them to take actions that lead to the success of your organization.
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.
About The Author
Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to general management personnel about the fundamental premise of public relations. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; Director of Communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and Deputy Assistant Press Secretary, The White House. bobkelly@tni.net. Visit: bobkelly@tni.net
recurring cleaning service Mundelein ..I recently worked with a group dealing with an unusual... Read More
I'm what we in the business (the "business" being journalism)... Read More
Who wants to face the challenges of a business recovery... Read More
How do press releases or interest stories have an effect... Read More
Sure, as a manager, you have a talented member of... Read More
A press release is often your only chance to make... Read More
You are in business for yourself, but how well do... Read More
Want to get radio interviews and coverage in print publications... Read More
Even after a nice piece in a national publication, or... Read More
The wind of changes...The digital world has changed the form... Read More
Whether you are a business, non-profit or association manager, your... Read More
"Advertising is what you pay for. Publicity is what you... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, do you see... Read More
The public relations bar, should such a proficiency measure ever... Read More
As if making sure your company runs smoothly on an... Read More
Many people are intimidated by radio interviews, whether live or... Read More
For a business, non-profit or association manager, they could be... Read More
When your public relations results pretty much depend on whether... Read More
Ain't a gonna happen unless business, non-profit and association managers,... Read More
Obviously, it hurts when a promising business project you backed... Read More
Hundreds of thousands of News Releases are sent out all... Read More
As an owner of an independent record label, I often... Read More
It's safe to say that we live in interesting times.... Read More
Often the first point of contact the media has with... Read More
Before you even think about writing a press release, there... Read More
tidy up service Buffalo Grove ..China's media is booming creating opportunities for marketing-savvy businesses. But... Read More
Obviously, it hurts when a promising business project you backed... Read More
Let's say you've called a reporter with some ideas for... Read More
There's good news for public relations execs, marketing professionals and... Read More
I mean public relations that presumes from the get-go that... Read More
As a mobile detailing company it is important to have... Read More
If you don't have a grip on public relations, how... Read More
SORRY?WERE YOU SAYING SOMETHING?Many spokespeople approach media interviews the same... Read More
The practice of public relations is often misunderstood, thus overlooked... Read More
The next time a newspaper photographer takes your photo, remember... Read More
Have you ever noticed how the same people's names always... Read More
Personnel mentions in the newspaper and product plugs on radio... Read More
News releases (also called press releases) are an important part... Read More
Your public relations people are busy. The buzz is all... Read More
Publicity is obtaining editorial coverage or features for your business.... Read More
From time to time, people ask me how public relations... Read More
?makes the rules, of course.But when the gold takes the... Read More
The power of public relations is its ability to alter... Read More
Have you ever noticed that when someone is interviewed on... Read More
You never know when 60 Minutes will knock on your... Read More
Do it by restructuring your business, non-profit or association public... Read More
The most sensible way for business, non-profit or association managers... Read More
Don't assume that a reporter understands financial planning. If anything,... Read More
Have you ever gotten one of those letters from your... Read More
Almost assuredly you do, especially when your most important external... Read More
Public Relations |