Add Some Firepower to Your PR

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Add Some Firepower to your PR

Sure, as tactics usually presented to business, non-profit
and association managers, special events, brochures,
broadcast plugs and news releases are fine.

But they're not the high-octane PR firepower you need to
deliver growth results like new proposals for strategic
alliances and joint ventures; accelerating prospect contacts;
rising membership applications; customers making repeat
purchases; rebounds in showroom visits, or capital givers
and specifying sources looking your way.

As you add such firepower, you should see stronger
relationships with educational, labor, financial and
healthcare interests; new community service and
sponsorship opportunities; improved relations with
government agencies and legislative bodies; enhanced
activist group relations, and expanded feedback channels,
not to mention new thoughtleader and special event
contacts.

And here's the key that can unlock such a bonanza, the
underlying premise of public relations: 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.

There seems little doubt that you as a manager work hard
to insure that your most important outside audiences see
your operations, products or services in the best possible
light. Which is why you need to assure yourself that your
PR people are totally on board this effort. Be especially
careful that they accept the reality that perceptions almost
always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.

Because you will need to monitor perception by questioning
members of your most important outside audiences, take
some time to review the PR blueprint in detail with your
staff. Consider questions like these: how much do you know
about our organization? How much do you know about our
services or products and employees? Have you had prior
contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange?
Have you experienced problems with our people or
procedures?

You have a choice as to who handles the perception
monitoring phases of your program. Of course professional
survey people can do the job, IF the budget is available. But
fortunately, 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.

Now, let's talk about your public relations goal. You need one
that speaks to the "problematics" that showed up during your
key audience perception monitoring. In all probability, it will
call for straightening out that dangerous misconception, or
correcting that gross inaccuracy, or doing something about that
damaging rumor.

Yes, your strategy now will show you how to get there. But
remember that you have only three strategic choices when it
comes to handling a perception or opinion challenge: create
perception where there may be none, change the perception,
or reinforce it. As luck would have it, a bad strategy pick will
taste like sauteed prunes, so be certain the new strategy fits
well with your new public relations goal. For example, you
don't want to select "change" when the facts dictate a
"reinforce" strategy.

Here you must persuade an audience to your way of thinking
by creating just the right, corrective language. Which is why
we're looking for words that are compelling, persuasive and
believable AND clear and factual. This is a must if you are to
straighten out a perception by shifting opinion towards your
point of view, thus leading to the behaviors you desire.

Now we pick out the communications tactics most likely to
carry your words to the attention of your target audience.
Get input from your communications specialists and review
your message for impact and persuasiveness. There are dozens
of available tactics ranging from speeches, facility tours,
emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews,
newsletters, personal meetings and many others. Just be sure
that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like
your audience members.

Unfortunate but true, the credibility of a message can depend
on how it's delivered. So you might think about introducing it
to smaller gatherings rather than using higher-profile
communications such as news releases or talk show appearances.

When the topic of a progress report is suggested, you know it's
time for you and your PR folks to return to the field for a second
perception monitoring session with members of your external
audience. The same questions you used in the first benchmark
session will do nicely once again. But this time, you'll be
watching carefully for signs that your communications tactics
have worked and that the negative perception is being altered
in your direction.

If patience seems in short supply, things can always be gunned
with a broader selection of communications tactics AND
increased frequencies.

High-octane PR firepower makes all the difference once you
decide to do something positive about the behaviors of those
important outside audiences of yours that most affect your
operation.

You'll do it by creating external stakeholder behavior change
leading directly to achieving your managerial objectives. And
by persuading those key outside folks to your way of thinking,
thus moving them to take actions that allow your business,
non-profit or association to succeed.

end

Bob Kelly counsels and writes for business, non-profit and
association managers about using the fundamental premise of public
relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has authored
245 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:www.PRCommentary.com




Add Some Firepower to Your PR - To learn more about this author, visit Bob Kelly's Website.

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