Are You Sure You Know What PR Is

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Are You Sure You Know What PR Is?

by Robert A. Kelly

That’s easy! People act on their perception of the facts,
and something can be done about those perceptions. So
when public relations creates, changes or reinforces that
opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-
action those people whose behaviors affect the organization,
the public relations effort usually is a success. This leads
directly to the bottom line – perceptions altered, behaviors
modified, client/employer satisfied.

But not everybody believes that’s the job public relations
is meant to do. So, in hopes of getting closer to the truth,
here are a few contrasting definitions of public relations,
and a reaction to each.

“PR is all about image.” Well, this would ring truer if we
knew that s/he focused that image directly on changing
individual perception leading to predictable behavior
modification. AND as planned at the beginning of the
public relations program.

“PR creates mutual understanding?” Yes, but in the interest
of OUR understanding, why not add “by leading to modifying
the perception and thus the behavior of key audiences as
planned before the effort got under way”?

“PR is doing good and getting credit for it.” But SO much
more effective when that credit results in altered
perceptions and modified behaviors of key audiences.

“PR is the management of communications between an
organization and its publics.” And, again, SO much more
effective when those communications are positioned to reach
and alter individual perception and behaviors.

“PR is the science of cultivating a presence in the community.”
But only as long as that presence impacts groups of people
important to the organization and results in altering their
perceptions and modifying their behaviors, hopefully as
planned at the outset.

“PR is talking to the media on behalf of a client.” An
important means to an even more important end – carefully
planned communications aimed at target audiences in order
to alter their perception and modify their behaviors.

“PR is the art and science of helping clients or employers
communicate more effectively and persuasively with audiences
that impact them.” Good, as far as it goes. But, it would be
better if it said “the science of helping clients or employers
achieve the behavior modification they REALLY want,” rather
than stopping at the interim communications step.

And finally, “PR is the ability to influence public opinion.”
Which displays a trait common to most of these pronouncements
– it stops short of a clear description of what people who
are paying for public relations really want. (Hint: altered
behaviors).

Deep down, employers and clients are not primarily interested
in our ability to hang out with the media, or communicate
or paint images. Nor are they especially fascinated with our
efforts to identify target audiences, set public relations goals
and strategies, write persuasive messages, select
communications tactics, et al.

What they invariably DO want is a change in the behaviors
of certain key audiences which leads directly to the
achievement of their business objectives. So, the emphasis
in this article is on careful planning for altered key audience
perceptions and modified behaviors.

Which is why quality planning, and the degree of behavioral
change it produces, defines success or failure of a public
relations program.

Fact is, done right, when public relations modifies behaviors
among groups of people important to an organization, we
could be talking about nothing less than its survival.

end

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks about the fundamental
premise of public relations. 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. Kelly has a bachelor of science degree from
Columbia University, major in public relations.
mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com









Are You Sure You Know What PR Is - To learn more about this author, visit Bob Kelly's Website.

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