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Public Relations Productivity

Written by: Bob Kelly

Article Overview: Should it be measured in "publicity byu the pound," por by how well external audience behaviors help achieve the organization's key objectives?

Public Relations Productivity

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Public Relations Productivity?

Should it be measured in “publicity by the pound,” or
by how well external audience behaviors help achieve
the organization’s key objectives?

I opt for holding public relations responsible, first, for
recognizing that people act on their perception of the
facts leading to behaviors about which something
can be done. And second, for how well its practitioners
create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching,
persuading and moving-to-desired-action those people
whose behaviors affect the organization.

Only then would I agree that a strategic public relations
mission has been accomplished, not simply completion
of a tactical assignment.

Now this presumes that our practitioner knows the next
step, and the one after that, as s/he pursues increased
productivity.

But initially, such gains in public relations must begin by
efficiently prioritizing the organization’s most important
outside audiences. Those whose behaviors have the
greatest impact on the enterprise.

With that chore completed, you now want to learn what
members of your #1external audience think and feel
about you and your organization. Important because we
know that what people perceive usually leads to a predictable
behavior about which, usually, something can be done.

So, discovering that valuable information demands that
you find out precisely how those target audience members
perceive your operation. Which means you must now
interact with those people, and ask a lot of questions such
as “do you have an opinion about our organization?” Or,
“what do you think of our products or services?”

Listen carefully for signs of negative attitudes, false
assumptions, misconceptions, inaccuracies and, especially,
dangerous rumors.

The responses to your questions, and the explanations
people give for why they feel or believe as they do, will lead
you directly to your public relations goal. For example,
straighten out that misconception, correct that inaccuracy,
or spike that rumor, fast.

By the way, as you efficiently move through the public
relations problem solving sequence, you accumulate the
productivity gains promised by the fundamental premise
of public relations outlined in the opening paragraphs.

Now, you set your public relations goal, one that aims
squarely at correcting the problem you identified during
your perception monitoring activity.

And that might well include clarifying a misconception,
correcting an inaccuracy, informing a misunderstanding or
stopping a rumor dead in its tracks. What you’ve just done,
is set a public relations goal towards which you will strive
by altering specific perceptions held by that target audience,
usually leading to the desired behavior.

But hold on. What strategy will you employ in your pursuit
of that altered perception and changed behavior? Your
choice of strategies is limited, but powerful. You can shoot
for creating opinion (perception) where there really isn’t any.
You can focus your efforts on changing existing opinion, or
you may be quite happy to simply reinforce those existing
perceptions.

This is a key decision because your strategy will influence
the selection, direction, content and tone of all of your
subsequent communications.

Which brings us to the question of just how you are going to
structure the message to be sent to your target audience.
Above all, your message must state clearly what the perception
problem is, AND what it should be, based on the actual facts
of the matter. At the same time, your message must be written
persuasively and believably, thus imparting credibility to the
message. No small challenge!

Now, with the message in hand, it’s time to select the
communications tactics you will use to effectively carry your
message to members of your target audience.

And there is no shortage of communications tactics. You can
choose from among brochures, press releases, community
briefings and one-on-one meetings with thoughtleaders. Or,
letters-to-the-editor, radio interviews, speeches and emails.
And dozens more, although your choices here will be
influenced by budgetary reality.

Inevitably, you will want to know if your public relations
program is making any progress. Other than spending big
bucks with a professional public opinion sampling firm,
there’s really only one way to do that quickly and accurately.
And that is to get out there among members of your target
audience, interact with a number of them and ask the same
questions you did during your first perception monitoring
session.

The difference now is that you are looking for movement
in perceptions towards the views expressed in your message.
In other words, you want to see some perceptions altered in
your direction because that gives you a better chance to achieve
your real objective, modified target audience behaviors.

Your first go at this may indicate that more work is needed to
effectively influence opinion among your key target audience.
If this is the case, you will need to reevaluate the mix of
communications tactics you originally selected, as well as the
frequency with which you aimed them at your target audience.
Also advisable, would be another accuracy check of the facts
and figures you used in your message.

As your public relations program takes hold, you will notice
that key points in your message have been internalized, and are
now being played back to you by members of your target
audience. This will result in a general increase in target audience
awareness and understanding of your organization and its role
in the communities, industry sectors and geographies where it
operates.

Another way of putting it is, when enough members of your key
target audience are persuaded to your way of thinking, and
their behaviors begin to reflect that change, your public relations
effort is showing unmistakable signs of success.

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

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