Managers Got the Right PR
Managers Got the Right PR
in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website.
Only requirements: you must use the Robert A. Kelly
byline, and resource box. Word count is 1500 including
guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2006.
Managers: Got the Right PR?
As a business, non-profit, government agency or association
manager, are you satisfied with using a collection of
communications tactics to move a message from one point
to another. You know, creating print and broadcast
exposures? Publicity, if you will?
No problem, if that’s all you believe you really need.
But, have you ever thought about pulling out all the PR stops
to help achieve your unit’s managerial objectives?
I mean, you COULD do something really significant about
those important outside audience behaviors that MOST affect
the department, group, division or subsidiary unit you manage.
Then take advantage of the perception levels you’ve achieved
as those key external audiences of yours become persuaded to
your managerial way of thinking.
And, for that matter, once you’ve persuaded a number of
members of that key external audience to your views on the
issue in question, watch their perceptions closely as they
morph into behavioral actions that allow your unit to succeed.
That might even make your day! And it’s all very doable.
But not if you insist on limiting your offensive public relations
effort to simply creating print and broadcast exposures. Instead,
you should be preparing to do something positive about the
behaviors of the very outside audiences of yours that MOST
affect your operation. Because that’s when public relations can
actually create the kind of external stakeholder behavior change
that leads directly to achieving those key managerial objectives
of yours.
Thus your real managerial opportunity arises when it becomes
painfully obvious that counterproductive behaviors by target
audiences are the direct result of negative perceptions about
your organization or its services, products or personnel.
Suddenly, it becomes clear why you have to monitor opinion
among members of your most important outside audiences to
(1) determine how they perceive your organization; (2) to
identify and prioritize your public relations goals; (3) to create
and communicate corrective messages to those key outside
audiences and (4), to carefully monitor how and when those
perceptions inevitably convert to the key audience behaviors
you know, as manager, you need.
In brief, what you really require is an action-based blueprint that
leans on you to do some meaningful things about the behaviors
of those important outside audiences that MOST affect your
operation; to create the kind of external stakeholder behavior
change that leads directly to achieving your managerial
objectives; and to do so by persuading those key outside folks
to your views, then help move them to take actions that allow
your department, group, division or subsidiary to succeed.
You can count on the underlying premise of this kind of
managerial 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 usually
accomplished.
A variety of results are possible when you work public
relations this way: customers making repeat purchases; a
rebound in showroom visits; new proposals for strategic
alliances and joint ventures; membership applications on the
rise; improved relations with government agencies and
legislative bodies; capital givers or specifying sources looking
your way; fresh community service and sponsorship
opportunities; prospects starting to work with you, and even
stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial
and healthcare communities.
It always pays off when you clear some time for planning
meetings with your public relations people. For example, get
their input on your plans to monitor and gather perceptions by
questioning members of your most important outside audiences.
Suggest queries along these lines: how much do you know about
our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were
you pleased with the exchange? Are you familiar with our
services or products and employees? Have you experienced
problems with our people or procedures?
You might also reinforce your confidence in the PR team by
insuring that they really accept why it’s SO important to know
how your most important outside audiences perceive your
operations, products or services? And do you believe THEY
believe that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that
can help or hurt your operation? This is essential to PR success.
One of the facts of life in dealing with opinion polling matters,
is that things often go better when a professional survey firm
helps monitor your key audience’s perceptions. But real pros
cost real money, compared to using your existing public relations
staff who, while they ARE already in the perception and behavior
business, also cost money. 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, misconception and any other negative perception
that might translate into hurtful behaviors.
Setting your public relations goal is the tip of the spear. Your
new PR goal should call for action on the most serious problem
areas you uncovered during your key audience perception
monitoring. You may, for example, decide to straighten out that
dangerous misconception, bring to an end that potentially
painful rumor, or correct that terrible inaccuracy.
Seldom can public relations people, or most other managers
for that matter, establish a new PR goal without the support of
an action-oriented strategy. If, that is, you are to know HOW to
get to where you’re going. Plus, remember that you have just
three strategic options available to you when it comes to doing
something about perception and opinion: change existing
perception, create perception where there may be none, or
reinforce it. Needless to say, the wrong strategy pick will taste
like fish sauce on your grilled quail. So be sure your new
strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You
certainly don’t want to pursue “change” when the facts dictate
a strategy of reinforcement.
Recruit the best writer on your team to prepare a carefully
-written message targeted directly at your key external
audience. To move that key audience to your way of
thinking, s/he must produce some really corrective language
that is 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.
Carefully selected communications tactics (and there are
many such available) will be needed to carry your message
to the attention of your target audience. You may pick from
such time-honored devices as speeches, facility tours, emails
and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews,
newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be
certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just
like your audience members.
As “opening day” approaches, you may want to partially
neutralize any opposition to your message by unveiling your
corrective message before smaller meetings rather than using
higher profile news releases or broadcast announcements.
Reason is, a message’s credibility can be fragile and often
suspect, depending on how it is delivered.
It’s always a satisfying feeling when you can illustrate how the
monies spent on public relations can pay off. That’s why the
time needed to prepare and distribute progress reports
is time well invested. They are, however, also your alert to
start a second perception monitoring session with members
of your external audience. Here, you’ll use many of the same
questions used in the benchmark interviews. Only difference
now is, you will be on strict alert for signs that the bad news
perception is being altered in your direction.
If you feel impatient with the program’s rate of progress, you
always have the prerogative of adding more communications
tactics, and/or increasing their frequencies to address that
problem.
In essence, making sure you get the right managerial public
relations requires that you resolve to do something about the
behaviors of those outside audiences that most affect your
operation; to create the kind of external stakeholder behavior
change that leads directly to achieving your managerial
objectives; and to do so by persuading those key outside folks
to your way of thinking by helping move them to take actions
that allow your department, group, division or subsidiary unit
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 published 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
Managers Got the Right PR - To learn more about this author, visit Bob Kelly's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
Please feel free to publish this article and resource box
in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website.
Only requirements: you must use the Robert A. Kelly
byline, and resource box. Word count is 1500 including
guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2006.
Managers: Got the Right PR?
As a business, non-profit, government agency or association
manager, are you satisfied with using a collection of
communications tactics to move a message from one point
to another. You know, creating print and broadcast
exposures? Publicity, if you will?
No problem, if that’s all you believe you really need.
But, have you ever thought about pulling out all the PR stops
to help achieve your unit’s managerial objectives?
I mean, you COULD do something really significant about
those important outside audience behaviors that MOST affect
the department, group, division or subsidiary unit you manage.
Then take advantage of the perception levels you’ve achieved
as those key external audiences of yours become persuaded to
your managerial way of thinking.
And, for that matter, once you’ve persuaded a number of
members of that key external audience to your views on the
issue in question, watch their perceptions closely as they
morph into behavioral actions that allow your unit to succeed.
That might even make your day! And it’s all very doable.
But not if you insist on limiting your offensive public relations
effort to simply creating print and broadcast exposures. Instead,
you should be preparing to do something positive about the
behaviors of the very outside audiences of yours that MOST
affect your operation. Because that’s when public relations can
actually create the kind of external stakeholder behavior change
that leads directly to achieving those key managerial objectives
of yours.
Thus your real managerial opportunity arises when it becomes
painfully obvious that counterproductive behaviors by target
audiences are the direct result of negative perceptions about
your organization or its services, products or personnel.
Suddenly, it becomes clear why you have to monitor opinion
among members of your most important outside audiences to
(1) determine how they perceive your organization; (2) to
identify and prioritize your public relations goals; (3) to create
and communicate corrective messages to those key outside
audiences and (4), to carefully monitor how and when those
perceptions inevitably convert to the key audience behaviors
you know, as manager, you need.
In brief, what you really require is an action-based blueprint that
leans on you to do some meaningful things about the behaviors
of those important outside audiences that MOST affect your
operation; to create the kind of external stakeholder behavior
change that leads directly to achieving your managerial
objectives; and to do so by persuading those key outside folks
to your views, then help move them to take actions that allow
your department, group, division or subsidiary to succeed.
You can count on the underlying premise of this kind of
managerial 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 usually
accomplished.
A variety of results are possible when you work public
relations this way: customers making repeat purchases; a
rebound in showroom visits; new proposals for strategic
alliances and joint ventures; membership applications on the
rise; improved relations with government agencies and
legislative bodies; capital givers or specifying sources looking
your way; fresh community service and sponsorship
opportunities; prospects starting to work with you, and even
stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial
and healthcare communities.
It always pays off when you clear some time for planning
meetings with your public relations people. For example, get
their input on your plans to monitor and gather perceptions by
questioning members of your most important outside audiences.
Suggest queries along these lines: how much do you know about
our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were
you pleased with the exchange? Are you familiar with our
services or products and employees? Have you experienced
problems with our people or procedures?
You might also reinforce your confidence in the PR team by
insuring that they really accept why it’s SO important to know
how your most important outside audiences perceive your
operations, products or services? And do you believe THEY
believe that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that
can help or hurt your operation? This is essential to PR success.
One of the facts of life in dealing with opinion polling matters,
is that things often go better when a professional survey firm
helps monitor your key audience’s perceptions. But real pros
cost real money, compared to using your existing public relations
staff who, while they ARE already in the perception and behavior
business, also cost money. 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, misconception and any other negative perception
that might translate into hurtful behaviors.
Setting your public relations goal is the tip of the spear. Your
new PR goal should call for action on the most serious problem
areas you uncovered during your key audience perception
monitoring. You may, for example, decide to straighten out that
dangerous misconception, bring to an end that potentially
painful rumor, or correct that terrible inaccuracy.
Seldom can public relations people, or most other managers
for that matter, establish a new PR goal without the support of
an action-oriented strategy. If, that is, you are to know HOW to
get to where you’re going. Plus, remember that you have just
three strategic options available to you when it comes to doing
something about perception and opinion: change existing
perception, create perception where there may be none, or
reinforce it. Needless to say, the wrong strategy pick will taste
like fish sauce on your grilled quail. So be sure your new
strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You
certainly don’t want to pursue “change” when the facts dictate
a strategy of reinforcement.
Recruit the best writer on your team to prepare a carefully
-written message targeted directly at your key external
audience. To move that key audience to your way of
thinking, s/he must produce some really corrective language
that is 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.
Carefully selected communications tactics (and there are
many such available) will be needed to carry your message
to the attention of your target audience. You may pick from
such time-honored devices as speeches, facility tours, emails
and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews,
newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be
certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just
like your audience members.
As “opening day” approaches, you may want to partially
neutralize any opposition to your message by unveiling your
corrective message before smaller meetings rather than using
higher profile news releases or broadcast announcements.
Reason is, a message’s credibility can be fragile and often
suspect, depending on how it is delivered.
It’s always a satisfying feeling when you can illustrate how the
monies spent on public relations can pay off. That’s why the
time needed to prepare and distribute progress reports
is time well invested. They are, however, also your alert to
start a second perception monitoring session with members
of your external audience. Here, you’ll use many of the same
questions used in the benchmark interviews. Only difference
now is, you will be on strict alert for signs that the bad news
perception is being altered in your direction.
If you feel impatient with the program’s rate of progress, you
always have the prerogative of adding more communications
tactics, and/or increasing their frequencies to address that
problem.
In essence, making sure you get the right managerial public
relations requires that you resolve to do something about the
behaviors of those outside audiences that most affect your
operation; to create the kind of external stakeholder behavior
change that leads directly to achieving your managerial
objectives; and to do so by persuading those key outside folks
to your way of thinking by helping move them to take actions
that allow your department, group, division or subsidiary unit
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 published 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
Managers Got the Right PR - To learn more about this author, visit Bob Kelly's Website.
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