Business, non-profit or association managers hurt theirown public relations results when they becomefascinated with PR tactics - press releases, publicationsand brochures and, particularly, fun-to-manage specialevents - while failing to plan for the perceptions andbehaviors of the very people who probably hold theirmanagerial success in their hands.
We're talking about those important outside audienceswhose behaviors most affect their departments, groups,divisions or subsidiaries.
Obviously, some of the less sensitive among thosemanagers just don't get it - the fact that the right publicrelations alters individual perceptions leading to changedbehaviors among key external audience members and,thus, the achievement of managerial objectives.
When they compound that oversight by not persuadingthose awfully important outside folks to their way ofthinking, then moving them to take actions that allowtheir units to succeed, bingo!, they badly hurt their PRresults.
Needn't be the case. Take a moment and savor this approach: people act on their own perception of thefacts before them, which leads to predictable behaviorsabout which something can be done. When we create,change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuadingand moving-to-desired-action the very people whosebehaviors affect the organization the most, the publicrelations mission is usually accomplished.
Look at what could come their way: fresh proposalsfor strategic alliances and joint ventures; communityleaders beginning to seek you out; rising membershipapplications; welcome bounces in show room visits;prospects starting to do business with you; customersmaking repeat purchases; and new approaches bycapital givers and specifying sources not to mentionpoliticians and legislators viewing you as a keymember of the business, non-profit or associationcommunities.
A few questions as to how this work might be assigned. To an outside PR agency team? To folks assigned toyour operation? To your own public relations people?Just realize that regardless of where they come from,they need to be committed to you and your PR planbeginning with key audience perception monitoring.
You should meet with your public relations team inorder to be certain that those assigned to you are clear onwhy it's vital to know precisely how your most importantoutside audiences perceive your operations, products orservices. They must accept the reality that perceptionsalmost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt youroperation.
Discuss your PR operating plan with them, especially howyou will monitor and gather perceptions by questioningmembers of your most important outside audiences. Forinstance, how much do you know about our chief executive?Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleasedwith the interchange? How much do you know about ourservices or products and employees? Have you experiencedproblems with our people or procedures?
Have no hesitation (other than budget) in using professionalsurvey firms in the perception monitoring phases of yourprogram. But remember that your PR people are also in theperception and behavior business and can go after the sameobjective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfoundedrumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negativeperception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.
The most damaging distortions you discovered duringyour key audience perception monitoring will respondto the right kind of PR goal by calling for straighteningout that dangerous misconception, or correcting thatgross inaccuracy, or stopping that potentially fatal rumoras quickly as possible..
Big challenge here is selecting the right strategy. Namely,a strategy that tells you how to move forward. Pleaseremember that there are just three strategic options availableto you when it comes to handling a perception and opinionchallenge. Change existing perception, create perceptionwhere there may be none, or reinforce it. Since the wrongstrategy pick will taste like sea salt on your rice pudding, becertain the new strategy fits comfortably with your newpublic relations goal. You don't want to select "change"when the facts dictate a "reinforce" strategy.
It's inevitable and unavoidable -- someone on your PR staffwill have to write a strong message and aim it at membersof your target audience. Because crafting action-forcinglanguage to persuade an audience to your way of thinkingreally is hard work, you need your best, first-string writerto put together some very special, corrective language.Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable,but clear and factual if they are to correct something and shiftperception/opinion towards your point of view leading to thebehaviors you are targeting.
Less taxing, and occasionally fun, is the selection of thecommunications tactics most likely to carry your message tothe attention of your target audience. Do this after you runthe draft by your PR people for impact and persuasiveness.There are dozens of tactics available to you. From speeches,facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings,media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and manyothers. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known to reachfolks just like your audience members.
As we all know, the method by which we communicate amessage, if tainted in any way, can affect its believabilityand credibility. So, if unsure, you may wish to limit its initialscope by unveiling it before smaller meetings and presentationsrather than through higher-profile news releases.
Suggestions that progress reports might be a nice touch, should be viewed as an early warning that a second perceptionmonitoring session with members of your external audience,be undertaken. Many of the same questions used in the firstbenchmark session can be used again. But this time, you will bewatching carefully for signs that the problem perception is beingaltered in your direction.
If you suspect the program is lagging, accelerate matters withmore communications tactics, then increase their frequencies.
Thus, instead of hurting your PR results, you will indeedincrease the chances of program success. And once you as amanager digest the underlying premise of managerial publicrelations, as outlined above, you'll understand how the rightPR really CAN alter individual perception and lead to thosechanged behaviors you need.
Please feel free to publish this article and resource boxin your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website.A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net.Word count is 1135 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2005.
Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit andassociation managers about using the fundamental premise of publicrelations 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 communi- cations, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant presssecretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degreefrom Columbia University, major in public relations.bobkelly@TNI.net
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