Experience tells me that too many business, non-profitand association managers pursue their goals and objectiveslargely without the insights, behavioral strategies andsheer power public relations can bring to the table.

Here's what I believe they're missing, i.e., the essentialsthat flow from the fundamental premise of public relations,namely: people act on their own perception of the factsbefore them, which leads to predictable behaviors aboutwhich something can be done. So, when we create, changeor reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading andmoving-to-desired-action those people whose behaviorsaffect the organization, the public relations mission isaccomplished.

If you are that manager, please recognize that anyorganization including your own ?MUST take intoaccount the perceptions held by those external audienceswhose behaviors affect your organization, or thebehaviors flowing from those perceptions can hurt.

My first question for you is, is it just a matter of "hits?"You know, articles or interviews sold to editors? Is thatall there is to public relations?

Or, could there be more to it? Of course there's more to it!

Why do you want the "hits" in the first place? What are youtrying to accomplish?

I believe you want the same thing every other buyer of publicrelations services wants: to change somebody's behavior in away that really helps your organization reach its objectives.

So, wouldn't it make more sense to start at the beginningand save tactics like "publicity hits" for that moment whenyou need those "beasts of burden" to do their thing? Namely,to efficiently carry persuasive messages to a key targetaudience of yours?

Sure it would.

So let's start by taking a close look at those external targetpublics. They're so important because how they think andbehave can actually determine the success or failure of youroperation

Don't believe it? Look at those audiences whose behaviorsdirectly affect your organization's operations, even those possibly unaware that your organization even exists. Are they likely to want its services or products?

No.

Look at an external audience where members harbor a serious misconception about the organization. Does this reduce theirdesire to work with you?

Yes.

Look at an external audience some of whose members believea grossly negative and inaccurate set of facts about theorganization. Will those people be first in line to work with you?

No.

Obviously, what members of a key target audience believesabout your organization matters, and matters a lot!

Why not begin by heading-off such a situation by listing thoseoutside groups - those target audiences - in order of how muchtheir behaviors affect your organization?

Start by interacting with those people. Of course, if thebudget will stand it, you could use a survey firm to gather theirfeelings, thoughts and perceptions.

Minus such a budget, however, do it yourself. Fortunately,your public relations colleagues are already in the opinionmonitoring business and can carefully gauge how thesepeople feel about your organization. When you interact thisway, you get to ask a lot of questions and gather a lot ofinformation you really need.

What are you hearing? Misconceptions that need straighteningout? Rumors that should not be allowed to exist? Inaccuratebeliefs about your products and services that could drivepeople away from you? Do you notice still other perceptionsabout you and your organization that need to be altered?

The answers to such questions allow you to create your publicrelations goal which will alter, and thus correct, eachmisconception, or inaccuracy, or rumor.

You've made some real progress by monitoring perceptionswithin your key target audience, and you've established yourcorrective public relations goal.

Now for the strategy that tells you how to reach that goal.HOW to move forward with your new PR effort is always challenging, especially when it comes to selecting the rightstrategy to tell you how to get where you want to go. Thereare just three strategic options available to you when itcomes to handling a perception and opinion challenge.Change existing perception, create perception where theremay be none, or reinforce it. Since the wrong strategy pickwill taste like too much pepper in your chicken soup, assureyourself that the new strategy fits comfortably with yournew public relations goal. You don't want to select"change" when the facts dictate a "reinforce" strategy.

It's time to do some more work in the form of "what youare going to say to your key external audience." If all goeswell, it will alter people's inaccurate perceptions aboutyou and the organization.

However, it must be persuasively written so that it isperceived as creditable and believable. And it must speakthe truth clearly and with authority.

Your "beasts of burden" show up at this point. In two words, communications tactics that will carry your newly-mintedmessage from your computer direct to the attention of thosekey target audience members whose behavior you hope toalter in your direction.

It is your good fortune that there are scores of such tacticsawaiting your call to arms. You might use a speech tocommunicate your message, or letters-to-the-editor, pressreleases, emails, brochures or face-to-face meetings, andmany other tactics.

To find out if you're making any progress towards yourbehavioral goal, you will need to REmonitor target audiencemembers as well as local print and broadcast media.

But now, you'll be looking for perception and attitudechanges hopefully produced by the combination of yourpersuasive messages and carefully targeted communicationstactics. And you'll be asking lots of questions all over again.

Should you be fortunate enough to note considerablemovement in opinion in your direction, you may consideryour public relations goal as having been achieved.

On the other hand, if little movement is noted, adjustments tothe frequency, quantity and tactics mix should be made. Yourmessage also should be reviewed for its content and direction,and tested again for effect with a panel of target group members.

Either way, your public relations program is on track andpreparing to deliver the key target audience behaviors youroperation needs to succeed.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in yourezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy wouldbe appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net.

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.mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net

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