Tweet

OK Show me the Value

Written by: Bob Kelly

Article Overview: Fact is, when our reach, persuade and move-to-desired-action efforts produce a visible modification in the behaviors of those people you wish to influence, you are spending your public relations dollar to its very best advantage.

OK Show me the Value

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 875 including
guidelines and box. Robert A. Kelly © 2006.

O.K., Show Me The Value!

Let’s start with a question: with public relation’s obvious
values, I really wonder why any organization intent on
achieving its objectives would ever pursue them WITHOUT
the support of a first-class public relations effort?

OK, some values are not as obvious as others, but they’re just
as useful to you as those public relations values that jump right
off the page.

Fundamental Value

Just look at the fundamental premise of public relations:
people act on their perception of the facts leading to behaviors
about which something can be done. 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 mission
is complete AND successful.

Reading those words, who can seriously question whether
any business, association, non-profit or public entity should
embrace it?

That fundamental premise tells us that precisely because public
relations zeros in on altering the perceptions, and thus behaviors
of your key target audiences, it helps you get to where you want
to be. And that strongly suggests that the proper application of
public relations can be central not only to your organization’s
success, but possibly to its very survival.


Strategic Value

We’re lucky public opinion is the leverage that allows us to
succeed. And that’s because our most useful contribution to
business is the strategic ability to create, change or reinforce
existing public perception and behaviors. It is this capability,
this talent if you will, that can lead an employer/client to
organization success.

Tactical Value

Equally valuable are public relation’s carefully selected
tactics tailored to reach target audiences through effective
communications. And we also create and tailor persuasive
messages designed to influence their perception/behavior,
and to gain momentum and impact by using those tactics
with pinpoint accuracy and timing.

At the same time, the employer/client receives value, and
benefits when public relations gains and holds the
understanding and acceptance of those audiences, those
publics, without which his or her organization simply
cannot prosper.

Reputational Value

While all this is going on, the business’ reputation is
burnished delivering value that only strengthens its ability
to achieve its goals and objectives.

A successful business that benefits from public relations
values such as these is more apt to meet its obligations to
society. Especially as a good corporate citizen, taxpayer,
employer and reliable maker/supplier of quality,
fairly-priced goods or services. In other words, it delivers
enormous value by serving the public interest.

For better or worse, public relations problems and challenges
are usually defined by what people THINK about a set of
facts, versus the truth of the matter. Often, this is off-putting
to people – somehow, it seems to mean public relations is
without substance. But the key factor to remember here is that
how people PERCEIVE the facts leads inevitably to very real,
predictable behaviors which can, and often do create the clear
and present public relations challenges to which we commit
our resources.


Measurement Value

The benefits keep coming. Yet another value of public relations
is the reality that all-important behavior changes can be clearly
monitored and assessed as to their success. In other words,
gathering evidence for those paying the bill that the
communications tactics have actually changed behaviors.

We look for signs of this success via Internet chatter, in
print and broadcast news coverage, reports from the field,
letters-to-the-editor, consumer and customer reactions,
shareholder letters, comments from community leaders,
informal polls of employees, retirees, industrial neighbors
and local businesses as well as feedback gathered from
suppliers and the reaction from elected officials, union
leaders and government agencies.

The End-Game For This Value-Rich Discipline?

When you as the employer/client measure its real effectiveness,
you will be fully satisfied with those public relations results
only when its “reach, persuade and move-to-desired-action”
efforts produce that visible modification in the behaviors of
those people you wish to influence.

Still, no matter what strategic plan we create to solve a problem,
no matter what tactical program we put in place, at the end of the
day we must modify somebody’s behavior if we are to provide
that primary value.

And the best part is that when the behavioral changes become
apparent, and meet the program’s original behavior modification
goal, three satisfying values are realized:

One, the public relations program is a success. Two, by achieving
the behavioral goal you set at the beginning, you are using a
dependable and accurate public relations performance measurement.
And three, when our “reach, persuade and move-to-desired-action”
efforts produce a visible modification in the behaviors of those
people you wish to influence, you are spending your public relations
dollar to its very best advantage.

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

Related Articles
  The World’s Greatest Marketing Program?
  Let’s hope that the Macworld Expo lives on
  Mad Marketing TV
  Visiting a Franchise Show is a great way to investigate franchise opportunities.
  Freshen Up Your Approach to Trade Shows

Article Tags:



Related Forum Posts
Re: How can I use this forum to market my company? - Show yourself as a specialist in your field by answering relevant questions on the forum.
Re: Make Friends...Literally BUILD them! - It's the "prequel " to the Battlestar Galactica TV show. It's how Robots became "Human" and took over the world. Great Show
Re: Who to profile next? - Hi Evan, How about a profile on T. Boone Pickens? I just saw him on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno talking about his early entrepreneurial beginnings, his new book [i:vaiabziv]The First Billion is the Hardest[/i:vaiabziv] and how natural gas is the way of the future.
Re: Your weapon for success - Excellent list, Yinka. One of my weapons I plan to utilize is to send out "thank you" emails to all my clients from the past year. Show them that I appreciated and valued their business and hope to do business with them again. This is just one tactic I will be using to get more business. People like to be appreciated, especially if they're paying for a service.
Re: Are You Looking for More Internet Radio Exposure - [quote="litekepr":1vgtz2c8]Version II of The Directory of Radio Resources for Show Opportunities is now available. If visibility on the Internet is something you seek this resource is for you. [/quote:1vgtz2c8] What an excellent resource, Shri. Thanks so much for posting this!


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Do You Deserve To Be Happy and Successful?

Good News Travels Fast

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.