A Well-Oiled Strategy Machine

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including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2003.

A Well-Oiled Strategy Machine

Yes, that’s what public relations really is when it tracks
important external audience perceptions and follow on
behaviors. And again when it does something about those
perceptions and behaviors by reaching, persuading and
moving to actions you desire, those people whose behaviors
affect your organization the most.

All of which makes it much more likely that you will achieve
your operating objectives.

So, could this be the time to put a new public relations program
in motion that will provide you with results like these?

0 Make sales prospects aware of your product and service values
and convert many of them to customers.

0 Reinforce those same product and service values with your
existing customers and keep many of them.

0 Boost your productivity by persuading your employees that
you really do care about them.

0 Avoid unnecessary problems by insuring that the minority
community knows you don’t discriminate.

0 Make employee hiring and retention problems a thing of the
past by convincing community residents that your business is
a good place to work.

0 Avoid “bad press” by being straightforward and responsive
to media queries – and NEVER lie to them!

0 And nail down that joint venture or strategic alliance by
quickly knocking down negative rumors started by trouble-
making competitors.

Now, here’s how the well-oiled strategy machine that produces
such results can support your objectives and work hard for YOU..

Decide up front who matters most to you among those outside
audiences of yours. Whose behaviors can make or break your
day? Which audiences produce the most significant impacts
on your organization?

Let’s call that outside audience #1 on the priority list and work
on it right now. Of course, other external audiences will
require your attention in due course.

First question: how do members of this key target audience
view your organization and its products and services? Always
surprises me how many business people answer this question
vaguely, if at all.

To get those and other useful responses, you must interact with
those individuals and ask a lot of questions. For example,
what do you think of us and our products/services? Or, have
you had any problems with our services or products?

Be especially alert to negative responses or even undertones.
And watch closely for inaccuracies that need to be corrected,
or misconceptions you must clear up. Rumors, of course,
must be addressed directly and killed dead, to emphasize
the point!

Now you’re ready to set you public relations goal. Namely,
correct that inaccuracy, or clear up that misconception, or
kill that rumor. Keep your goal zeroed in on the precise
negative you wish to correct.

What now? How will you reach that goal? Of course with
a strategy, and you have three available to you: create
opinion where there isn’t any, alter existing opinion, or
reinforce it. The goal you already set will determine which
strategy choice you make.

The quality of the message you send to your key outside
audiences will have a huge bearing on whether their
perceptions can be altered in your direction. For instance,
if your message persuades them that the rumor that you
dump chemicals into the river is simply not true, you will
sense the change in their perception and, thus, their
behavior as they again cooperate and/or do business with
you as before.

Keep your message as compelling as possible, persuasive
of course, and crystal-clear as to its meaning.

Next stop? Call in the “foot soldiers,” aka communications
tactics, to carry that outstanding message of yours to the
right eyes and ears. Luckily there are many, many commu-
nications tactics available. For example, personal contacts,
letters-to-the-editor, press releases and speeches. Or, emails,
brochures, radio/newspaper interviews and newsletters.
The only requirement is that each tactic you choose have a
proven record of reaching members of the target audience
you want to reach.

Now, some weeks after your communications tactics went
into action, you will be curious to know if you are making
any progress towards altering key audience perceptions.

Best way to find out is to ask the same key audience
members you questioned during your initial fact finding
mission.

Same questions, but now you’re anxious to know if their
perceptions have been altered in your direction because
that will suggest that behavior changes can soon be expected.

Now, if you note some opinion alteration, but not enough,
you must take two actions. One, review your communi-
cations tactics for mix and frequency adjustments. And two,
look closely at your message to see if it is as clear and
compelling as it could be. And also whether your facts
and figures really support your view that the inaccuracy
is unfairly damaging to you.

Happily, your prize for using a well-oiled strategy machine
like public relations will be the altered perceptions you
desire, leading to behaviors that contribute directly to the
success of your business.

end