Instead of viewing public relations' big guns as broadcast plugs, press releases, brochures and fun-filled events, as many managers do, how about a sound public relations strategy combined with effective communications tactics leading directly to the bottom line – perception altered, behavior modified, employer/client/manager satisfied?
That's what can happen when business, non-profit, public entity and association managers plan for and create the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving their managerial objectives. Especially when they persuade those key outside folks to their way of thinking, and then move them to take actions that allow their department, group, division or subsidiary to succeed.
Those managers have made a winning bet by using public relations to do something positive about the behaviors of the very outside audiences that MOST affect their operations.
First step in that direction must be creating a high impact public relations blueprint designed to get every member of your PR team working towards the same external stakeholder behaviors.
As you might suspect, we have such a blueprint for your review: 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 usually accomplished.
This approach usually causes the fur to fly. For example, new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; a rebound in showroom visits; customers making repeat purchases; capital givers or specifying sources looking your way; prospects starting to work with you; fresh community service and sponsorship opportunities; improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies; membership applications on the rise; new thoughtleader and special event contacts; and even stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities.
Whom, do you suggest, will do the work? Whoever, they must be committed to you as the senior project manager, and to the PR blueprint starting with key audience perception monitoring.
Important questions remain, like who is going to do the work? The usual public relations staff? Specialists from a PR agency? People on-loan from above? At the same time you're sorting out that challenge, you'll be checking to insure that your team members accept the reasons as to why it's SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Be certain they buy the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit. Periodically, go over the public relations blueprint with your team members, especially your plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?
Goes without saying that you can always employ professional survey counsel for the perception monitoring phases of your program, although it can be expensive. But luckily, your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.
Time now to establish once and for all your public relations goal. Here you must do something about the most serious distortions you discovered during your key audience perception monitoring. Your new public relations goal might call for straightening out that dangerous misconception, or correcting that gross inaccuracy, or stopping that potentially fatal rumor.
The next step is just as important because it tells you how to reach that brand new PR goal. To keep things simple, note that there are only three strategic options available to you when it comes to handling a perception and opinion challenge. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Of course, the wrong strategy pick will taste like chili butter on your pralines, so be certain the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. Naturally, you don't want to select "change" when the facts dictate a "reinforce" strategy.
Here we are at the time when you must produce a powerful corrective message aimed at members of your target audience. However, persuading an audience to your way of thinking is not easy! And that's why your PR folks must come up with words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual. This is how you will be able to correct a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the behaviors you are targeting.
Happy with the new language? Are the impact and persuasiveness good enough to do the job? If they are, you can proceed to selecting the communications tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. You can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings,
media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.
Yet another question, would you rather unveil your message before smaller gatherings rather than using higher-profile tactics such as news releases? Reason is, the credibility of a message can depend on the credibility of its delivery method.
For progress measurement purposes, you and your PR team should be prepared to return to the field and start work on 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 this time, you will be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.
Momentum can always flag. Fortunately, you have at your disposal the option of speeding up matters with more communications tactics and increased frequencies.
Yes, it can pay dividends when a manager thinks about public relations this way. Especially when s/he creates the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving that manager's most important operating objectives.
Please feel free to publish this article in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. Only requirement: you must use the Robert A. Kelly byline and resource box. Word count is 1190 including guidelines and box. Robert A. Kelly © 2006.
Bob Kelly counsels and writes for business, non-profit, public entity and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has authored 250 articles on the subject which are listed at EzineArticles.com, click Expert Author, click Robert A. Kelly. 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. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit: http://www.PRCommentary.com
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