PR: Here's All You Need to Know

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Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

PR: Here’s All You Need to Know

Above all, you need to know that the right PR can alter
individual perception and lead to changed behaviors.

Especially when you create external stakeholder behavior
change, the kind that leads directly to achieving your
managerial objectives.

And all because the core of your public relations lies
in doing something positive about the behaviors of
those important outside audiences of yours that MOST
affect your operation.

The bottom line is, the right PR let’s you persuade those
key outside folks to your way of thinking, and help move
them to take actions that allow your department, division
or subsidiary to succeed.

And now, the bonus blueprint that gets everyone working
towards the same external stakeholder behaviors, insuring
that your PR effort stays focused: 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 accomplished.

Such a blueprint can produce results like new community
service and sponsorship opportunities; improved relations
with government agencies and legislative bodies; prospects

starting to work with you; customers making repeat
purchases; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint
ventures; promotional contest overtures; a rebound in
showroom visits; new thoughtleader and special event
contacts; capital givers or specifying sources looking your
way; membership applications on the rise; new feedback
channels; stronger relationships with the educational, labor,
financial and healthcare communities; and even enhanced
activist group relations.

It should be a prime concern to you as to who carries out
this PR plan for you. Just who is going to do the work
anyway? Will it be your full-time public relations staff?
Folks assigned to your unit by a higher authority? A PR
agency team? Regardless of where they come from, they
must be committed to you as the senior project manager,
to the PR blueprint and its implementation, starting with
key audience perception monitoring.

A cautionary suggestion. Simply because a specialist
describes him/herself as a public relations person doesn’t
mean they’ve bought the program whole hog. You must
be assured that those assigned to you believe deeply why
it’s SO important to know how your most important outside
audiences perceive your operations, products or services.
Insure that they buy the reality that perceptions almost always
lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.

Take the time to review the PR blueprint with your PR team,
especially your plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions
by questioning members of your most important outside
audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about
our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were
you pleased with the interchange? How much do you know
about our services or products and employees? Have you
experienced problems with our people or procedures?

For the perception monitoring phases of your program, use
professional survey counsel if your budget will allow. But keep
in mind that your PR people are also in the perception and
behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify
untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might
translate into hurtful behaviors.

Now it’s time to do something about the most serious distortions
you discovered during your key audience perception monitoring.
In other words, establish your public relations goal. And that
could be to straighten out that dangerous misconception, or
correct that gross inaccuracy, or stop that potentially fatal rumor
dead in its tracks.

Naturally, you will need a good strategy, one that clearly
shows you how to proceed. To keep things simple, note that
there are only three strategic options available to you when it
comes to handling a perception and opinion challenge. Change
existing perception, create perception where there may be none,
or reinforce it. Of course, the wrong strategy pick will taste like
day-old fried eggs, so be certain the new strategy fits comfortably
with your new public relations goal. Certainly, You don’t want
to select “change” when the facts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

Now you need to hit members of your target audience with
a powerful message. But persuading an audience to your
way of thinking is hard work. Which is why your PR folks
must create some very special, corrective language. Words
that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but
clear and factual. Only in this way will you be able to correct
a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view,
leading to the behaviors you are targeting.

Pass your message by your communications specialists to
assure its impact and persuasiveness. Then, sharpen it before
selecting the communications tactics most likely to carry your
message to the attention of your target audience. You can pick
from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours,
emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews,
newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure
that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your
audience members.

Since the credibility of a message is often dependent on how
it’s delivered, you should consider unveiling it before smaller
meetings and presentations rather than using higher-profile
means such as news releases.

You’ll soon need to provide progress reports, which will alert
you and your PR team to get back out in the field and start work
on a second perception monitoring session with members of
your external audience. You’ll want to use many of the same
questions used in the first benchmark session. Difference this
time is that you will be watching very carefully for signs that
the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

If the program lags, consider accelerating matters with more communications tactics and increased frequencies.

Yes, all you REALLY need to know is that the right PR can
alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors.
Especially when you create the kind of external stakeholder
behavior change that leads directly to achieving your
managerial objectives.

end

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. 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. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com