PRs Sweetest Music

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guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2006.

PR’s Sweetest Music

It’s a tune all managers can sing.

And the lyrics go like this: successful business, non-profit,
government agency and association managers start their
winning ways by doing something positive about the
behaviors of the very outside audiences that MOST affect
their operations.

Then they claim the prize when their public relations
creates the kind of external stakeholder behavior change
that leads directly to achieving their most important
managerial objectives.

In the midst of all this good news, comes a happy
epiphany for the lucky managers: 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.

And look what could happen: this kind of public
relations planning really CAN alter individual
perception and lead to changed behaviors among your
key outside audiences. But 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 believe you deserve.

It won’t be long before the desired end-products
start showing up. And that’s when customers begin
to make repeat purchases; capital givers or specifying
sources begin to look your way; welcome bounces in
show room visits occur; membership applications
start to rise; new proposals for strategic alliances and
joint ventures start showing up; politicians and
legislators begin looking at you as a key member of
the business, non-profit or association communities;
local civic leaders begin to seek you out; and prospects
actually start to do business with you.

The public relations people assigned to you can be of
real use for your new opinion monitoring project
because they are already in the perception and behavior
business. But be certain those PR folks really accept
why it’s SO important to know how your most
important outside audiences perceive your operations,
products or services. Perhaps most important, be sure
they believe that perceptions almost always result in
behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.

Spend time with them reviewing your plans for
monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning
members of your most important outside audiences.
Consider 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?

Be careful introducing professional survey firms to
do the opinion gathering work because it can cost a
lot more than using those PR folks of yours in that
monitoring capacity. 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.

You’ll want to establish an action goal here for 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
before it does more damage?

Like most goals, you’ll never achieve it in the absence
of a strategy showing you how to get there. Furthermore,
only three strategic options are available to you when it
comes to solving perception and opinion problems.
Change existing perception, create perception where
there may be none, or reinforce it. Of course, the wrong
strategy pick will taste like ketchup on your French Toast.
So be certain 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.

Good writing is always needed, and that’s especially true
here because you must prepare a persuasive message that
will help move your key audience to your way of thinking.
It should be a carefully-written message aimed directly at
your key external audience. Hopefully, your very best
writer will work hard on the assignment because s/he
must come up with 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.

Now is as good a time as any to identify the communications
tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention
of your target audience. There are many available. From
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.

The way in which you communicate your message can
cause problems since the credibility of any message is
always fragile. Which is why you may wish to unveil
your corrective message before smaller meetings and
presentations rather than using higher-profile news
releases.

The inevitable topic of progress reports should move
you to begin a second perception monitoring session
among members of your external audience in order to
measure your program’s headway. Many of the same
questions used in your benchmark session can be used
again. But now, you will be on guard for signs that the
bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

A slowing in your PR program’s forward movement will
alert you to the need to speed things up by either adding
more communications tactics and/or increasing their
frequencies, or both.

Yes, this tune is all about doing something positive
about the behaviors of the very outside audiences that
MOST affect a business, non-profit, government agency
or association manager’s operations.

Happily, if you are that manager, it will also create the
kind of external stakeholder behavior change leading
directly to achieving your most important objectives,
and the sweetest managerial music imaginable.

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




PRs Sweetest Music - To learn more about this author, visit Bob Kelly's Website.

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