Can you honestly say that your business, non-profit or association's key outside audiences behave in ways that help lead to your success on-the-job?
Or, have you pretty much ignored the reality that target audience behaviors can help or hinder you in achieving your department, division or subsidiary's operating objectives?
Truth is, your unit's public relations effort can never be truly fit until the primary focus of the PR people assigned to you is shifted from tactical concerns to a more comprehensive public relations action blueprint 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.
What such a foundation gives you is the ability to help persuade those important external stakeholders to your way of thinking. Which can cause them to take actions that lead to your success as a manager.
Any idea how to make that happen?
First, tell your public relations team that you're serious about nailing down what those outside audiences with the behaviors that affect your unit the most, really think about your organization. After you list the external stakeholders, prioritize them so we're certain we're working on one of your key target audiences.
Next, you and your PR team must interact with members of that audience by asking a number of questions aimed at finding out how you're perceived. Look for inaccurate beliefs, troublesome misconceptions, potentially dangerous rumors, and any other negativities that might translate into target audience behaviors that could hurt you.
Of course, you could hire a professional survey firm to interact with members of your target audience and gather the perception data you need. But that can get expensive indicating, at least to me, that the alternative use of your own PR staff to handle this chore, is the better choice.
Question now, how to achieve that public relations goal? Obviously, you need the right strategy to show you how to do it. Luckily, where opinion/perception is concerned, there are really only three strategy choices: create perception/opinion where none exists, change existing perception, or reinforce it. And be certain the strategic choice you made clearly fits your new public relations goal.
Now, remember that the message you use to communicate your corrective message to members of your target audience is not only crucially important to the program's success, but a real writing challenge for you and your public relations team. The message must be clearly written as to why the offending perception really needs to be clarified. Supporting facts must be above challenge and believable if your message is to be persuasive. And, it should be compelling.
Delivering your message, perhaps surprisingly, is not a complex assignment because you have a long list of communications tactics to help you do the job. They range from media interviews, emails, personal contacts and newsletters to facility tours, press releases, brochures, consumer meetings and many others. The only caution here is to check and double-check that those you choose are known to reach people like those who make up your target audience.
Sooner rather than later, you will need to determine how much progress you're making in altering the damaging perception and its equally damaging follow-on behavior. This is also not a complex challenge.
Here, you and your public relations people must once again interact with members of your target audience and ask questions similar to those used in the earlier benchmark monitoring drill.
The big difference this time around? You'll be alert to change. In other words, you want to see clear indications that the damaging perception is actually undergoing alteration in your direction.
You can always add more communications tactics, increase their frequencies and sharpen your message to move things along at a faster clip.
The result for you as a business, non-profit or association manager, will be a workable department, division or subsidiary public relations blueprint that succeeds in creating key outside audience behaviors that help lead you to success on-the-job.
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.
limousine Ackley .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareThey know they had better do something positive about those... Read More
?2004 Jeffrey DobkinSixty dollars doesn't go a long way in... Read More
Lots of theories out there about public relations.Everything from "publicity's... Read More
When a reporter is wowed, intrigued, surprised or captivated by... Read More
Big corporations like General Motors and Coca-Cola spend thousands of... Read More
Writing an effective press release is a way to draw... Read More
While awaiting economic recovery, business needs to attract the attention... Read More
Aren't you tired of hearing how extremely easy it is... Read More
Yes, that's what public relations really is when it tracks... Read More
When most people think of media relations, they think of... Read More
Although I still believe there is a place for advertising... Read More
How you answer questions depends on many factors. Example what... Read More
When it comes to launching a new business or product,... Read More
Although media relations is not all there is to PR,... Read More
Yes, and that pressure often comes from a CEO who... Read More
E-mail is becoming the preferred way to receive media releases.... Read More
Promotion for Professional Services Providers requires a different approach than... Read More
Be a ResourceThe media people that are likely to want... Read More
You thought of it, you researched it, you wrote it.... Read More
How do press releases or interest stories have an effect... Read More
SORRY?WERE YOU SAYING SOMETHING?Many spokespeople approach media interviews the same... Read More
Press releases are a useful tool for announcing news and... Read More
A new public relations blueprint could be a good idea... Read More
As the year starts to wind down, many businesses and... Read More
Above all, you need to know that the right PR... Read More
shuttle from O'Hare Alexander ..Many of my clients have had the misguided perception that... Read More
Even after a nice piece in a national publication, or... Read More
Think that you aren't big enough for national media coverage?... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, why continue a... Read More
You won't be if you accept a very simple premise.... Read More
Aren't you tired of hearing how extremely easy it is... Read More
Quality public relations does something positive for business, non-profit and... Read More
It used to be that all you had to do... Read More
Business people often spend time and money trying to find... Read More
Sure, as tactics usually presented to business, non-profit and association... Read More
There's an old African proverb:"If you think you are too... Read More
Journalists are trained and often experienced at getting information out... Read More
Without a solid, well-designed foundation, few buildings successfully withstand the... Read More
Maybe you've seen another financial planner on TV, and thought,... Read More
For those business, non-profit and association managers committed to PR... Read More
Experience tells me that too many business, non-profit and association... Read More
Think of a triangle. On the left, imagine the story... Read More
It doesn't matter how cruel the reality programs get, there... Read More
The annual detailing of the Kentucky Derby Train is an... Read More
Just like a financial planning client fears not having enough... Read More
In fact, here are three really foolish goofs made by... Read More
"We are in the communications business, the business of conveying... Read More
NOTE: Brad Phillips was a Producer for CNN's The Capital... Read More
Business, non-profit or association managers hurt their own public relations... Read More
When properly applied by business, non-profit and association managers, public... Read More
Public Relations |