Which PR Is Right For You?

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Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

Managers, Which PR Is Right For You?

An effort built around a string of print and broadcast
exposures? Or, a public relations initiative that delivers
results far beyond simple publicity tactics. Namely, real
behavior change among your most important outside
audiences leading directly to reaching your objectives.
Achieved, incidentally, by persuading key outside
people with the greatest impacts on your organization to
your way of thinking, then moving them to take actions
that help your unit succeed.

It’s a clear choice between limiting PR activity to simply
placing product and service plugs on radio and in
newspapers and magazines. Or, using a workable public
relations blueprint to alter individual perceptions that lead
to changed behaviors – something that should be of
profound importance to businesses, non-profits and
associations who can sink or swim on how well they
employ this crucial dynamic on behalf of their department,
division or subsidiary.

So, as a manager, why support that business, non-profit
or association operation with press release public relations
when a basic PR blueprint like this one can hold the key
to your success? 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.

Just look at the types of things that could transpire as a
result: fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint
ventures; customers making repeat purchases; prospects
starting to look your way; community leaders beginning to
seek you out; and even politicians and legislators viewing
you as an innovator.

But careful here. Because the cost of gathering key audience
perception data – an absolute must in this business – can
be substantial, it should be built into your original budget
request, and hopefully approved because the entire public
relations effort is riding on the perception monitoring function.

So, with the key stakeholders whose perceptions of your
operation you care most about now the target of your PR
effort, you are ready to launch a well-planned public relations
program that can reach, persuade and move those individuals
to actions you desire.

For your own success, you have to be certain your staff or
agency public relations people are REALLY committed to (1)
knowing how your outside audiences perceive your operations,
products or services, and (2) the reality that negative key audience
perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can hurt you
(and them). Luckily, they already are in the perception and
behavior business, so they should be able to really help out
with your opinion monitoring project.

Professional survey firms are always available, but that
can be a budget buster. So, whether it’s your people or a
survey firm asking the questions, your objective is the same:
identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors,
inaccuracies, misconceptions and other “nasties.”

Best way to get that activity under way is to meet with
members of your most important outside audience and ask
questions like “Are you familiar with our services or products?”
“Have you ever had contact with anyone from our organization?
Was it a satisfactory experience?” Be sensitive to negative
statements, especially evasive or hesitant replies. And watch
carefully for those false assumptions, untruths, misconceptions,
inaccuracies and potentially damaging rumors. When you find
such, they will need to be corrected, as they usually lead to
negative behaviors.

Now you must select the specific perception to be altered,
which then becomes your public relations goal.

But clearly, a PR goal without a strategy to show you how
to get there, is like French Toast without syrup and bacon.
So you select one of three strategies especially constructed
to create perception or opinion where there may be none, or
change existing perception, or reinforce it. But insure that
the goal and its strategy match each other. You wouldn’t
want to select “change existing perception” when current
perception is just right suggesting a “reinforce” strategy.

Here, you put together a compelling message carefully
structured to alter your key target audience’s perception,
as specified by your public relations goal.

A thought. Combine your corrective message with
another news announcement or presentation which may
provide more credibility by downplaying the need for
such a correction.

Clearly you have to produce a compelling message, one
that’s quite clear about what perception needs clarification
or correction, and why. Goes without saying that you must
be truthful, believable and your position logically explained
if you are to hold the attention of members of that target
audience, and actually move perception in your direction.

On a light note, we sometimes call the communications
tactics you will use to move your message to the attention
of that key external audience, “beasts of burden” because
they must carry your persuasive new thoughts to the eyes
and ears of those important outside people.

There is no shortage of communications tactics because
the list is long indeed. It includes customer briefings,
brochures, press releases and speeches. Or, you might
choose facility tours, radio and newspaper interviews,
personal contacts, or letters-to-the-editor. There are many
available to you and the only selection requirement is that
the communications tactics you choose have a record of
reaching people just like the members of your key target
audience.

If things slow down on you, accelerate them by adding
more communications tactics, AND by increasing their
frequencies.

With the passage of time, you’ll anticipate that folks will
soon be questioning you about progress, so you will already
be hard at work remonitoring perceptions among your
target audience members. Using questions similar to those
used during your earlier monitoring session, you’ll now be
watching carefully for signs that audience perceptions are
beginning to move in your general direction.

Satisfying curiosity in this regard is largely a matter of
laying out the results you will receive when you undertake
this aggressive public relations plan. Put another way, you
may be excused for relaxing when you achieve the kind of key
stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving
your department, division or subsidiary objectives.

end