Home
>
Public Relations
>
Managers: Get Real, Please!

Managers: Get Real, Please!

Personnel mentions in the newspaper and product plugs on radio hardly qualify as an adequate return on your public relations dollar, and you probably know it!

Especially unfortunate when your PR budget could be doing something really positive about the behaviors of those outside audiences that most affect your business, non-profit or association.

And also when it could be delivering external stakeholder behavior change ? the kind that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives.

And, finally, when you could be persuading those important outside folks to your way of thinking, then move them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed.

On the other hand, if all you want is a simple publicity effort, fine. But if you want full-bore public relations performance like that above ? performance that really contributes to your success as a manager ? here's a blueprint that will start you on your way.

"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 can you expect from such a blueprint? How about heavy-hitter givers eyeing your 501-C-3; newly interested specifying sources asking you for more data; qualified proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; prospects showing new interest; growing numbers of requests for membership applications; repeat purchases reappearing; political leaders taking a closer look at your unit as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities; a delightful jump in sales floor visits; and even community leaders seeking you out.

If you're a business, non-profit or association manager, you need to take two steps as soon as possible. First, jot down those outside audiences of yours whose behavior helps or hinders you in pursuing your objectives. Then record them according to how severe their impact is, and let's look at the target audience that shows up in first place.

While you probably would have assembled the required data if such activity enjoyed a priority in your shop, fact is you probably haven't gathered the information that tells you what most members of that key outside audience think about your organization. But now, in the absence of a large professional survey budget, you and your colleagues will have to monitor external audience by asking the questions yourselves. questions like "Have you ever met anyone from our organization? Was it a satisfactory experience? How much do you know about our services or products?" Look for negative statements, especially evasive or hesitant replies. And be on the lookout for false assumptions, untruths, misconceptions, inaccuracies and potentially damaging rumors. You'll need to correct any that you come across because experience shows they usually result in negative behaviors.

With the aim of correcting such aberrations before they become hurtful behaviors, here you select the specific perception to be altered. You have now identified your public relations goal.

However, my friend, a PR goal without a strategy to show you how to get there, is like Quesadillas without fried onions and mushrooms. That's why you must select one of three strategies especially designed to create perception or opinion where there may be none, change existing perception, or reinforce it. But be careful that your new goal and the new strategy match each other. After all, you wouldn't want to select "change existing perception" when you have a good current perception suggesting a "reinforce" strategy.

Enter writing talent. Here your PR team must put those writing skills to work and prepare a compelling message. One structured to alter your key target audience's perception, as called for by your public relations goal.

Here's a good idea -- combine your fixit message with another newsworthy announcement ? or include it in a different presentation -- thus lending credibility by downplaying the fact that you're correcting something.

Still, your corrective message must be clear about what perception needs clarification or correction and why. The message must be truthful and your position must be persuasive, logically explained and believable. It is the best way to hold the attention of members of that target audience, and actually move perception your way.

Picking the tools you will count on to carry your persuasive new thoughts to the attention of that external audience (I call such tactics "beasts of burden") will be the easiest part of your campaign.

There is an endless selection of communications tactics available such as group briefings, letters-to-the-editor, brochures, press releases and personal contacts. Or possibly, radio and newspaper interviews, speeches, newsletters, and many others. But again, be cautious about the tactics you select. Can they demonstrate a record of reaching the same people as those you call your target stakeholders?

Undoubtedly, the question of progress will come up. And you'll want to be ready for such queries by again monitoring perceptions among your target audience members. But there's a big difference the second time around. Using questions similar to those used during your earlier monitoring session, you mow will be on the alert for indications that audience perceptions are beginning to move in your direction. Fortunately for you and I, that means progress.

Once again, we are fortunate in the PR business that we can move almost any program along at a faster rate by using additional communications tactics, AND by increasing their frequencies.

Two final pieces of advice. Keep your attention focused sharply on the very groups of outside people ? your key external stakeholders -- who play such a major role in just how successful a manager you will be.

And use a workable blueprint such as that outlined at the beginning of this article. In other words, a plan that helps you persuade those important outside stakeholders to your way of thinking, then moves them to take actions that lead to the success of your department, division or subsidiary.

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 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. mailto:bobkelly@tni.net. Visit: mailto:bobkelly@tni.net

high-end home cleaning Morton Grove ..

In The News:

Aigen's Element robot uses solar power and AI to provide farmers with a sustainable alternative to herbicides, working efficiently in cotton and soy fields.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Cybercriminals accessed Medicare data of more than 100,000 Americans by creating fraudulent accounts, prompting CMS to deactivate accounts and issue new Medicare cards.

China's battery swap technology from CATL lets electric vehicle owners exchange batteries in under two minutes, with plans to expand to 1,000 stations across 31 Chinese cities by 2025.

Analysts at Silent Push have uncovered a widespread scam that uses counterfeit retail websites to steal the credit card information of online shoppers.

Chrome users need to update their browsers immediately as Google addresses a critical vulnerability that hackers are actively exploiting. Additional security measures are recommended.

A study found teens glance at phones for dangerous two-second intervals while driving, using devices primarily for entertainment, texting and navigation despite crash risks.

Security researchers uncovered a flaw in Windows 11 that allows attackers to disable Secure Boot using Microsoft-signed tools, requiring manual updates to protect against bootkits.

Carnegie Mellon's noninvasive brain technology allows users to move robotic fingers by thinking about the motion, offering new possibilities for people with motor impairments.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of protection to your accounts. Instead of relying only on a password, MFA requires you to verify your identity using two or more methods.

Scientists from Duke, Harvard, and the University of Otago have unveiled a game-changing tool called DunedinPACNI. It uses a single AI brain scan to reveal how fast a person is biologically aging.

A disturbing wave of fake agent phone scams is sweeping across the United States, catching people off guard and draining their savings.

Emojis aren't just playful add-ons; they're powerful tools for building stronger connections in our increasingly digital world.

Google has taken a major step toward the future of clean energy by partnering with Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), an MIT spin-out working to build one of the world’s first commercial fusion reactors.

If you create and share art online, you might have seen messages warning that Facebook's parent company, Meta, claims the right to use or even sell anything you post, whether it's pictures, poems, or artwork.

Cybercriminals hit Qantas in a major data breach that exposed information from up to six million customers.

Having reliable, loud, and timely emergency alerts on your phone or device is important because when severe weather strikes, every second counts.

Here's how your daily brew is becoming the foundation for greener buildings.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, are transforming how we learn. But what does this mean for AI and learning retention?

Modern AI data centers use much more electricity than traditional cloud servers. In many cases, the existing power grid cannot keep up. One innovative solution is gaining traction: repurposed EV batteries for AI data centers.

Microsoft 365 and Outlook users are being targeted by a tactic that injects fake billing alerts directly into their calendars.

Researchers are now showing us that old smartphones as data centers could be the next big thing in sustainable tech.

Scientists have created micro-robots for sinus infection treatment that can enter the nasal cavity, eliminate bacteria directly at the source, and exit without harming surrounding tissue.

Let's examine how your data is collected in everyday life, who is buying and selling it, what happens to it afterward, and, most importantly, what you can do to protect yourself.

Researchers at the University of Sheffield in the U.K. developed small robots called "Pipebots" that can travel inside water pipes to find and potentially repair leaks, all without any excavation.

Managers: Get Real, Please!

Public Relations