The name of the game is doing our part to achieve manage- ment's objectives. And public relations best practice ? properly applied ? does just that.
How? The driving force is public relations' fundamental premise which promises to harness your most important external audiences in a way that actually helps reach those very same business objectives.
Just look at that premise: "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 those people whose behaviors affect the organization, the public relations mission is accomplished."
It strongly suggests that without the understanding of who and what your organization is all about, the behaviors of those important external audiences may hinder your efforts and, left unattended, tie your organization in knots.
This sentence sums up the bottom line. When public relations alters key audience perceptions, then reaches, persuades and moves them to an action you desire, it clearly helps achieve management's objectives.
Do you enjoy that kind of support? You can if you employ a program along these lines.
Decide at the start which outside audiences display behaviors that most impact your organization, and list them. We'll concentrate here on that #1 external audience you believe has the greatest effect on your operations. Of course, other audiences may need your attention as well.
The obvious first step is to find out how members of that "public," as we call them, actually perceive your organization. The best and quickest way to do this is to interact with those people and ask questions that probe their perceptions. Listen carefully for negative observations and remain alert to factual errors, inaccuracies, misperceptions and even rumors.
These responses enable you to create a public relations goal aimed directly at correcting the damaging perceptions, especially misconceptions and inaccuracies.
Now, you get to select one of three available opinion strategies that show you how you will reach your goal: create opinion where there may be none; change existing opinion, or reinforce it. Your public relations goal will lead you to the proper strategy selection.
The meat of the program is usually the message you will send to members of your target audience. After all, that message will be charged with the task of altering people's perceptions, and that means it must be persuasive and compelling. It must also be as clear as possible, and contain the facts and figures needed to repair the perception damage. In short, your message must be believable. You might also run it by a few members of your target audience to be sure it has the desired effect on the perception you are striving to alter.
Moving your message to many members of your #1 external audience requires aggressive and carefully targeted communications tactics. Public relations is fortunate to have dozens of such tactics from which to choose. For example, radio and newspaper interviews, letters-to-the-editor, face-to- face meetings and speeches. Or you might select tactics such as facility tours, brochures, community meetings, special events and promotional activity.
In due course, after your communications tactics have spread your message far and wide, you will want to know if you are making any progress. Experience shows that remonitoring your target audience is a must.
You will want to ask the same questions of audience members you used during your data gathering exercise at the start of the program.
Your objective, however, will be different. Now, you will be looking for signs that the offending perception has begun to be altered in the direction you desire. Should more work be necessary, a possible change in the mix and frequency of your communications tactics can be made. And, of course, you would want to review your message for clarity, impact and direction, especially with regard to your supporting facts and figures.
Because we know that predictable behaviors tend to follow changes in perception, your carefully planned public relations effort is well-positioned to create key audience support for management initiatives.
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 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
efficient cleaning crew Highland Park ..The Internet may have opened worlds for businesses and consumers,... Read More
Managers in the non-profit, association and business worlds need to... Read More
Public relations is the art, as one of my colleagues... Read More
When developing a publicity campaign for their business many owners... Read More
Sometimes a phone call isn't intimate or long enough to... Read More
There's a dirty little secret about press releases that the... Read More
Better check out the public relations fundamental premise, then take... Read More
China's media is booming creating opportunities for marketing-savvy businesses. But... Read More
We'd all like reporters to ask us about our career... Read More
They can when they invest in the basics. The best... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, why continue a... Read More
This is the ending to my previous article, How to... Read More
You know, where you do something positive about the behaviors... Read More
What do your customers say about your company?Would you let... Read More
The fast changing dynamics of the world economy is forcing... Read More
1. Appearing in other types of media is the best... Read More
A common complaint you'll hear is that the media is... Read More
Some financial planners think that they shouldn't share their top... Read More
A press release telling about "Stevie, the Water-Skiing Squirrel" will... Read More
Always ask, "Is now a good time?"Deadlines in journalism are... Read More
When do you use the newspaper for publishing announcements for... Read More
?lose the confidence of your key target audiences? discourage them... Read More
Does the thought of knowing your verbs from your adjective... Read More
Taking your ad and turning it into paragraph-style prose is... Read More
Trade publications present an excellent opportunity for organisations to gain... Read More
scheduled maid service Park Ridge ..Although media relations is not all there is to PR,... Read More
The public relations goal and strategy make sense; the message... Read More
I've worked in media and public relations for 20 years,... Read More
A well structured press release in an excellent way of... Read More
Can you honestly say that your business, non-profit or association's... Read More
Maybe it played for Kevin Costner in "Field of Dreams,"... Read More
Corporations are willing to pay substantial amounts of money to... Read More
Many of our clients are in service businesses, such as... Read More
The toughest thing about writing a news release is getting... Read More
And the best way to mind your own business is... Read More
In this great country of ours, there are basically three... Read More
Community relations is one of those marketing strategies that isn't... Read More
You thought of it, you researched it, you wrote it.... Read More
Media relations is a great profession.On good days, I earn... Read More
It's one thing for a senior manager to approve story... Read More
The reason might be this simple: as a business, non-profit... Read More
Commit this to memory, please: To get in the media,... Read More
Recently I had a craving for... Read More
About a year ago I read a feature story in... Read More
When properly applied by business, non-profit and association managers, public... Read More
In my travels around the country while building my business... Read More
If your key ? that's KEY ? outside audiences don't... Read More
How to write a press release that generates free publicity... Read More
It doesn't matter how cruel the reality programs get, there... Read More
The power of PassionPassion is an extraordinarily powerful spring. Without... Read More
Public Relations |