Managers PR Mechanics or Engineers
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Managers: PR Mechanics or Engineers?
If you are a business, non-profit, government agency or
association manager, you need both. A skilled public
relations “engineer” to assemble the resources and drive
the action planning needed to alter individual perception
leading to changed behaviors among your most important
outside audiences.
That engineer will help you as a manager to persuade
those key folks to your way of thinking, And then move
them to take actions that allow your department, group,
division or subsidiary to succeed.
But you’ll also want those “mechanics” on board to handle
communications tactics like brochures, special events,
broadcast plugs, press releases and the like.
The force behind such a deployment is 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 usually
accomplished.
The essential reality is that the right public relations
planning really CAN alter individual perception and
lead to changed behaviors among key outside audiences.
As that manager, your PR effort must demand more
than special events, news releases and talk show
tactics if you are to receive the quality public relations
results you anticipate..
The engineer-mechanic approach to public relations will
deliver the outcomes you want. For example, capital givers
or specifying sources beginning to look your way;
welcome bounces in show room visits; membership
applications on the rise; customers making repeat
purchases; high potential proposals for strategic alliances
and joint ventures; politicians and legislators looking at
you as a key member of the business, non-profit or
association communities; prospects actually starting to
do business with you; and community leaders now
seeking you out.
Don’t overlook your PR worker bees. They can be of
real use for your new opinion monitoring project because
they are already in the perception and behavior business.
But it’s not a slam dunk. Satisfy yourself that the PR
staff really accepts why it’s SO important to know how
your most important outside audiences perceive your
operations, products or services. And do insure that they
really believe that perceptions almost always result in
behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.
Tell your PR people what your plans are for monitoring
and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your
most important outside audiences. Ask questions like these:
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?
Using those PR folks of yours will also save money over
the cost of using professional survey firms to do the
opinion gathering work. 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.
Now we set down a public relations goal calling for
action on the most serious problem areas you uncovered
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?
In like manner, establishing a PR goal demands an
equally specific strategy that tells you how to get there.
But just three strategic options are 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.
The wrong strategy pick will taste like citrus dressing
on your scones. So be sure your new strategy fits well
with your new public relations goal. You certainly
don’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate
a strategy of reinforcement.
At this point, good writing becomes the issue
because you must prepare a persuasive message
that will help move your key audience to your way
of thinking. Obviously it must be a carefully-
written message aimed at your key external audience.
Select your very best writer. S/he must come up
with 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.
Here, you must select the communications tactics
most likely to carry your message to the attention
of your target audience. Lots are available. From
speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to
consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters,
personal meetings and many others. But be sure the
tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like
your audience members.
Since the credibility of any message is fragile and
always up for grabs, the means by which you
communicate is a concern. Which is why you may
wish to unveil your corrective message before
smaller meetings and presentations rather than
using higher-profile news releases.
Before you create a progress report, you’ll find it
useful to begin a second perception monitoring
session with members of your external audience in
order to create comparative benchmarks. You’ll
also want to use many of the same questions used
in the benchmark session. But now, you will be on
strict alert for signs that the bad news perception
is being altered in your direction.
When things slow down, as they occasionally do,
you’ll be pleased that you can always speed things up
by adding more communications tactics as well as
increasing their frequencies.
Once again, the right public relations planning really
CAN alter individual perception and lead to changed
behaviors among key outside audiences.
The trick lies in knowing the difference in capabilities
between those PR mechanics and PR engineers,
then using their respective talents in your own best
managerial interests.
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 PR Mechanics or Engineers - To learn more about this author, visit Bob Kelly's Website.
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Michiel JonkerAs a Certified Information Systems Auditor, Michiel assists businesses in a professional capacity by evaluating the threats to their businesses. He acquired the necessary knowledge, skills, and techniques to minimize a business owner’s risk of business failure and to maximize his chances of high growth and success. He strongly believes that you CAN maximize your chances of business success, by implementing the business solution he has advocated for more than 12 years in your business plan and planning. Michiel has decided to share his experience with business owners by putting almost everything he knows in a business plan and survival guide (compiled in an e-book format) and written as a high growth SMB coaching course for SMB business owners, directors and managers - titled as the “Survival Kit for Small and Medium Businesses - Profit from your Business Risks!” According to Michiel, his goal was to add new techniques to a business owner’s business planning survival kit and instruct him or her in using these in the future - without any help from a consultant! For more information about the benefits of implementing profit protection planning in your business, please visit: http://www.business-around-the-globe.com - Visit Michiel Jonker's Website |
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