The payoff for business, non-profit or association managers can be a real assist towards meeting their department, division or subsidiary objectives.
Playing that public relations card means they've decided to pursue their objectives by reaching, persuading and moving those outside audiences whose behaviors most affect their organizations, to actions those managers desire.
Here's a blueprint to help them do just that: 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.
In other words, here is the PR blueprint and tools you need to persuade your most important external stakeholders to your way of thinking. And then move them to take actions that lead to your success.
First step? Shift the attention of the PR team assigned to your unit away from communications tactics and over to a more effective action plan like the one outlined above.
You'll know it's worth the effort when you begin to see stakeholder behaviors like strong increases in inquiries, more repeat purchases, new proposals for strategic alliances or joint ventures, a fresh round of employment inquiries, or stronger contribution levels.
Lay it all out for the PR people who work for your unit, especially why it's a must to list in priority order those key outside audiences whose behaviors impact your operation the most. Talk about the importance of discovering how your organization is perceived by those audience members. Particularly because such perceptions almost always result in predictable behaviors that can affect the success of your unit for better or for worse.
If you have a large, uncommitted budget, you can use professional survey counsel to interact with target audience members and ask the important questions. "Do you know anything about us? Do you have an opinion about our products or services? Have you ever had a transaction with us? Was it a positive experience?" Or, members of your public relations team can handle this crucial task since perception, persuasion and behavior are prime concerns of theirs, or certainly should be.
While handling the perception monitoring chore, keep an eye out for negative comment and voice inflections. Especially watch for inappropriate assumptions, misconceptions, inaccuracies, rumors and clearly negative attitudes.
Once you collect these data, you're ready to establish your public relations goal. For example, torpedo those false assumptions, turn those misconceptions around, or correct that unfortunate inaccuracy.
The goal by itself is not much use without a strategy to show you how to reach it. As luck would have it, there are just three strategies available in the perception and opinion game: create perception/opinion where there simply isn't any, change the existing perception, or reinforce it. Makes things simple, but be sure the strategy you select is an obvious fit with your new goal.
The meat on this bone is the actual message you will prepare should the perceptions you discovered require some alteration. This is not a simple writing job and the very best writing talent on your PR team will be required. The message must be both persuasive AND compelling. It must be very clear as to what is being corrected and why. Factual support, of course, must be above challenge if your message is to be believable as it works to alter perception in your direction.
And now to the easy part of this public relations problem solving sequence ? getting that message to the right eyes and ears among the members of your target audience. The main limiting factor will be the size of your budget since there are dozens of communications tactics available to carry that message. They range from emails, speeches and private meetings to newsletters, media interviews, brochures and group briefings. Just be sure the tactics you decide to go with demonstrate that they can reach the same kind of folks that populate your target audience.
You'll be best equipped to answer queries about program progress after you and your PR team again interact with those target audience members asking the same questions used in the initial perception monitoring session. Big difference in the two sessions? This time, all hands will be alert to any signs that the negative perception has actually been altered.
Want things to move faster? Add more communications tactics, increase their frequencies and take another look at your message to be certain it's really persuasive and compelling.
The good news is, when managers play the PR card, they concentrate on persuading their most important external stakeholders to their way of thinking. And then moving those target audience members to take actions that lead to the managers on-the-job success.
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
top rated cleaning service Lake Forest ..Have you ever noticed that when someone is interviewed on... Read More
There's a dirty little secret about press releases that the... Read More
Sorry about my otaku with this issue (otaku = more... Read More
Yes?Good!Still, as a business, non-profit or association manager, if you're... Read More
Business, non-profit or association managers hurt their own public relations... Read More
Tracking your correspondence with reporters, via phone or email, is... Read More
You thought of it, you researched it, you wrote it.... Read More
The reason might be this simple: as a business, non-profit... Read More
Dear New York Times:I'd like to be quoted in one... Read More
If you are in Australia at the moment, it is... Read More
You know that getting publicity is vital to the health... Read More
Simply that the behaviors of their most important outside audiences... Read More
Can your PR do something positive about the behaviors of... Read More
Decide once and for all to do something about those... Read More
You can have dozens of marvelous ideas to get free... Read More
It's safe to say that we live in interesting times.... Read More
As the kids say, how cool is this?You're a business,... Read More
The world has woken up to ethical issues in corporate... Read More
Always ask, "Is now a good time?"Deadlines in journalism are... Read More
Although media relations is not all there is to PR,... Read More
Publicity seekers know that Christmas can provide a bonanza of... Read More
Prior to launching a new public relations campaign, evaluate the... Read More
Redevelopment is replacing new construction throughout the Greater Boston area,... Read More
You may remember Forrest Gump's Vietnam pal ? the one... Read More
If you have had any experience in public relations or... Read More
insured cleaning company Morton Grove ..There'll never be a better time for a manager working... Read More
Most small businesses do little to no public relations (PR)... Read More
FIVE WAYS TO GET ON THE RADIOHere are five basic... Read More
Hundreds of thousands of News Releases are sent out all... Read More
Today's issue of Lean Marketing Champions features tips on doing... Read More
When do you use the newspaper for publishing announcements for... Read More
For a business, non-profit or association manager, they could be... Read More
Whenever a recession or volatility threatens the economy, companies immediately... Read More
You never know when 60 Minutes will knock on your... Read More
Business people often spend time and money trying to find... Read More
To many marketers, the press release is something of a... Read More
A common complaint you'll hear is that the media is... Read More
There are a lot of things that make a business... Read More
The media (newspaper, radio, television) can be of enormous help... Read More
If you don't have a grip on public relations, how... Read More
It's not unusual for clients of service providers to insist... Read More
Talkback radio offers a fantastic opportunity to access thousands of... Read More
If a reporter was writing a story about you and... Read More
Think carefully! You're a department, division or subsidiary manager for... Read More
If you're like most publicity seekers, you probably think oneproject... Read More
Use journalistic styleReporters are busy. Just like you.So when you... Read More
Corporations are willing to pay substantial amounts of money to... Read More
"Advertising is what you pay for. Publicity is what you... Read More
Business to Business relationships come to expect a certain level... Read More
Next to white papers, case studies are the most popular... Read More
Public Relations |