You can SO measure return-on-investment for a public relationsprogram!

Try this.

Accept the fact that people act on their own perceptions of thefacts, and that this leads to predictable behaviors about whichsomething can be done.

When public relations creates, changes or reinforces thoseperceptions by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action those people whose behaviors affect the organization, the publicrelations effort is successful.

This means you set a clearcut behavioral goal for a key targetaudience when you began the program, and you achieved it.

This is pure success by any definition.

It also means you received precisely the return-on-investment you contracted to pay for at the beginning of the program and,in my view, about as much R.O.I. as you're entitled to.

So, you CAN measure return-on-investment for a public relationseffort after all.

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.

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 communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations.

Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com; bobkelly@TNI.net