Make Your PR Budget Work Harder

Do it by restructuring your business, non-profit or association public relations program so that it delivers the stakeholder behavior changes you want. Changes that lead directly to achieving your objectives.

A good first step is to base the restructure on a reality like this: People act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired -action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

Then, if you haven't done so already, think about your important outside audiences and how their behaviors can help or hinder your organization. List them in order of damage severity, and let's talk about #1 on the roster.

Obviously, before you decide how to deal with external audience perceptions and, thus, behaviors, it makes sense to find out what members of that target audience really think about your organization.

If you are not equipped with a budget to pay for professional survey work, you and your colleagues,have little choice but to interact with audience members and that means using penetrating questions ? "What do you think of us? How much do you know about us? Have you ever had contact with our people? If so, was it a positive experience?" Stay alert to negativities, and watch closely for inaccuracies, misconceptions, and exaggerations.

The data you gather from such monitoring activity let's you identify the most severe perception problem, then establish it as your corrective public relations goal. Which allows you to straighten out that misconception, correct that inaccuracy or deflate that exaggeration.

Your goal isn't worth much by itself. It needs a buddy, and that buddy is a strategy that shows you what you must do to achieve the goal. Luckily, there are only three strategies to choose from when it comes to perceptions and opinions. Reinforce existing opinion, change it, or create perception where none exists. Here, by the way, you must take care that your chosen strategy fits naturally with your new goal.

Writing the message ? especially one burdened with the job of altering perception ? is never an easy job. In other words, it must change the opinion of a key target audience and that can be a challenging writing assignment.

All at the same time, the message must be persuasive and compelling. And to do that, it must be clear about what is to be altered and why. It must be truthful, of course, and believable if it is to move target audience perception towards your view. On occasion, you may wish to avoid the showcase effect of a separate news release leading you to either piggyback your message on another operating announcement, or deliver it live at one of your newsmaker special events or media interviews.

Since the message will do very little simply looking back at you from the word processor, you must round up your "beasts of burden" to carry your message to the right eyes and ears among your target audience. These are communications tactics and there are scores of them ready to help. They range from emails, speeches, and press releases to radio/newspaper interviews, newsletters, facility tours and many more. Only caution here is, make certain any communications tactics you use come with proof that they reaches folks similar to those in your target audience.

Questions will soon be raised as to whether your public relations effort is succeeding. Which will send you and your colleagues back into the field to question your target audience members once again.

Only this time, you're on the lookout for change in the form of perceptions altered, and opinions modified in your direction, as you planned.

It's also comforting to know that a lagging effort can be accelerated, and its impact increased, by adding more communications tactics to the mix. Further, their frequencies can be bumped up as well.

All of which increases the chances you will succeed in changing the behaviors of your key external audiences. Behavior change that you want and need, and that leads directly to achieving your primary operating objectives.

About The Author

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 communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@tni.net. Visit: mailto:bobkelly@tni.net

All You Need to Know About Press Release Writing and Distribution

Before you even think about writing a press release, there... Read More

Press Releases

How do press releases or interest stories have an effect... Read More

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Focus on Main Points During an Interview

You never want to inundate a reporter with information, but... Read More

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Its Not Who You Know But What You Know

Almost every day, I hear the same question, over and... Read More

Are You Dissing Public Relations

If you leave a star player sitting on the bench,... Read More

Press Releases for Every Occasion

To many marketers, the press release is something of a... Read More

Your Organization: What Role PR?

As a manager, does your current business, non-profit or association... Read More

Sound Like Your Situation?

What a shame! Potentially productive public relations people resting on... Read More

Managers Need Basic PR

True, because department, division or subsidiary managers for a business,... Read More

PR Is Just Smart Business

The name of the game is doing our part to... Read More

Something New For Managers?

A new public relations blueprint could be a good idea... Read More

Why Managers Need the PR Advantage

Where is there a business, non-profit or association manager who... Read More

Business - How to Build it Using the Media

Have you ever noticed that when someone is interviewed on... Read More

Financial Planners, Want Free Marketing and Publicity? The Key is Understanding the Media

The media need you. Need the information and expertise you... Read More

Publicity: The Right Way for Marketing-Minded Financial Planners to Follow Up with a Reporter

Let's say you've called a reporter with some ideas for... Read More

Three Publicity Tips for Marketing-Minded Financial Planners

Financial planners, the first thing to know about reporters is... Read More

Financial Planning Publicity: When Talking to the Media, Dont Fake What You Dont Know

Relationships are based on trust-not just romantic relationships, or doctor/patient... Read More

Publicity: Financial Planners That Get It Follow One Rule

Advice about business and life often gets around to one... Read More

Publicity: Nailing a Media Interview, Part III (Staying on Topic)

In a media interview, always stick to your main points... Read More

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Join Your Professional Organization to Get Free Publicity

Unlike some professionals like lawyers and doctors, financial planners aren't... Read More

Why Restaurants Go Out of Business

Recently someone asked me why so many restaurants go out... Read More

Public Relations & Your Small Business

The practice of public relations is often misunderstood, thus overlooked... Read More

Talk Back Radio - Tips To Be A Star On-Air!

Talkback radio offers a fantastic opportunity to access thousands of... Read More

Meet The Media

Although media relations is not all there is to PR,... Read More

Know What Matters Most About PR?

When, as a business, non-profit or association manager, you are... Read More