Because good public relations can alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors among key outside audiences. And that can help business, non-profit and association managers achieve their managerial objectives.
It all happens when you do something positive about the behaviors of those important external audiences of yours that most affect your operation. In particular when you persuade those key outside folks to your way of thinking, then help move them to take actions that allow your department, division or subsidiary to succeed.
I believe the key to good PR is this reality. 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, your public relations effort must involve more than special events, brochures and news releases if you really want to get your money's worth.
The payoff can make your day: membership applications on the rise; customers starting to make repeat purchases; fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; community leaders beginning to seek you out; welcome bounces in show room visits; prospects starting to do business with you; higher employee retention rates, capital givers or specifying sources beginning to look your way, and even politicians and legislators starting to view you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities.
But who among your PR team really understands the blueprint outlined above and shows commitment to its implementation, starting with key audience perception monitoring? Luckily, your PR people are already in the perception and behavior business, so they should be of real use for this initial opinion monitoring project. Be certain that your public relations people really accept why it's SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Make sure they believe that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.
Talk it over with them, especially your game plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions along these lines: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? Are you familiar with our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?
Because it can run into real money using professional survey firms to do the opinion monitoring work, you may wish to use those PR folks of yours in that capacity since they're already in the perception and persuasion business. But, whether it's your people or a survey firm asking the questions, the objective remains the same: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.
What your aiming at, obviously, is a PR goal that does something about the most serious distortions you discover during your key audience perception monitoring. Will it be to straighten out that dangerous misconception? Correct that gross inaccuracy? Or, stop that potentially painful rumor cold?
Of course, without the right strategy to tell you how to proceed, you won't get there at all. So keep in mind that there are just three strategic options available when it comes to doing something about perception and opinion. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. The wrong strategy pick will taste like horseradish on your pancakes, so be sure your new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You wouldn't want to select "change" when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement.
Here, you must come up with a well-written message and send it to members of your target audience. It's always a challenge to create an actionable message that will help persuade any audience to your way of thinking. What you want now is your strongest writers because s/he must build some very special, corrective language. Words that are not merely compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and lead to the behaviors you have in mind.
After your PR team has signed off on draft copy of your message, you move on to the next selection process -- the communications tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. There are scores that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But you must be certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks like your audience members.
An alert: you may wish to avoid too loud a voice with this kind of message and unveil it before smaller meetings and presentations rather than using higher-profile news releases, as the credibility of any message is fragile and always at stake.
>From this point forward, you'll start getting requests for progress reports, which tells you and your PR team to begin a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You'll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. But now, you will be on red alert for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.
It does seem fortunate that such matters usually can be accelerated simply by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies.
The value of public relations to managers becomes clearer when you realize that the people you deal with behave like everyone else - they act upon their perceptions of the facts they hear about you and your operation. Which means you really have little choice but to deal promptly and effectively with those perceptions by doing what is necessary to reach and move those key external audiences of yours to actions you desire.
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 ? 2004.
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.
Visit: bobkelly@tni.net; bobkelly@tni.net
Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareWhen times are tough, it's no time to ignore those... Read More
With a dismal failure rate of more than 75 percent... Read More
Sure, any publicity is good. But don't invest time and... Read More
I define public relations failure this way:key audience perceptions are... Read More
If you're an online business using public relations (PR) to... Read More
Looking to get your name into a magazine? You need... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, what do you... Read More
PRESIDENT BUSH TELLS A STORYOn March 18, 2005, President Bush... Read More
Many people are intimidated by radio interviews, whether live or... Read More
It happens to business, non-profit and association managers when their... Read More
Community relations is one of those marketing strategies that isn't... Read More
As small businesses we have an opportunity and an obligation... Read More
HOW TO BE RELAXED AND EFFECTIVE ON-AIRHow does one stay... Read More
Even after a nice piece in a national publication, or... Read More
If, as is often the case, you are preoccupied with... Read More
Although, as a business, non-profit or association manager, you may... Read More
You worked hard to get a story on your business... Read More
What's a press release? This is generally a one page... Read More
There are all kinds of smart moves professionals can make... Read More
Quite a bit, actually. Public relations helps business, non- profit... Read More
It seems difficult to believe at the dawn of the... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, do you see... Read More
Well, for starters, because good public relations can alter individual... Read More
Your public relations people are busy. The buzz is all... Read More
I don't know about you but I get really frustrated... Read More
Antigo wedding limo ..There are a lot of things that make a business... Read More
NOTE: Brad Phillips was a Producer for CNN's The Capital... Read More
WHITE NOISEA client recently told me about a fascinating new... Read More
Relationships are based on trust-not just romantic relationships, or doctor/patient... Read More
PR that really does something positive about the behaviors of... Read More
Media relations, simply put, is the business of building and... Read More
FIVE WAYS TO GET ON THE RADIOHere are five basic... Read More
If you're trying to promote your store, but you don't... Read More
A wise friend of mine has often said, "There is... Read More
1) Establish Rapport, then get the editor/producer excited.There's not a... Read More
Sometimes a phone call isn't intimate or long enough to... Read More
It doesn't matter how cruel the reality programs get, there... Read More
Each of us is exposed to people from other cultures... Read More
Every organization has issues that could affect its operation. The... Read More
The public relations goal and strategy make sense; the message... Read More
Your boss just stopped by your office. He tells you... Read More
How much more fundamental can you get than this? As... Read More
When a reporter is wowed, intrigued, surprised or captivated by... Read More
While awaiting economic recovery, business needs to attract the attention... Read More
I often begin my media training sessions by asking members... Read More
Does the thought of knowing your verbs from your adjective... Read More
Another way to really become known in your area is... Read More
The least expensive, most effective way for you to promote... Read More
The real public relations geniuses might be managers. You know,... Read More
As small businesses we have an opportunity and an obligation... Read More
Public Relations |