Your public relations people are busy. The buzz is allabout hits on a radio show or mentions in a newspapercolumn. Or, which to do first, the trade show exhibit orthe video clip. All useful tactics, but hardly the detailedplanning needed to REALLY do something about thebehaviors of those outside audiences that impact youthe most.

Without that planning, those changes in target audiencebehaviors you'll almost certainly need to achieve yourobjectives is unlikely to come about. And that justshouldn't happen.

Here's a simple plan that can get everyone workingtowards the same external audience behaviors, and putthe public relations effort back on track. People act ontheir own perception of the facts before them, whichleads to predictable behaviors about which somethingcan be done. When we create, change or reinforce thatopinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired- action the very people whose behaviors affect theorganization the most, the public relations mission isaccomplished.

Which makes this worth mentioning one more time:whether you are a business, non-profit or associationmanager, you need what that fundamental premise promises

- the kind of key stakeholder behavior change that leadsdirectly to achieving your objectives.

I'm talking about behavior changes like community leadersbeginning to seek you out; new members signing up:customers starting to make repeat purchases; organizationsproposing strategic alliances and joint ventures; prospectsstarting to do business with you; politicians and legislatorsunexpectedlyviewing you as a key member of the business,non-profit or association communities; and even capitalgivers or specifying sources beginning to look your way.

It all starts when you sit down and actually list thoseoutside audiences of yours who behave in ways that helpor hinder you in achieving your objectives. Then prioritizethem by impact severity. Now, let's work on the targetaudience in first place on that list.

I'll wager you don't have access to data that tells you justhow most members of that key outside audience perceiveyour organization.

Assuming you don't have the budget to accommodateprofessional survey work, you and your colleaguesmust monitor those perceptions yourself. Interact withmembers of that outside audience by asking questions like"Have you ever had contact with anyone from our organization?Was it a satisfactory experience? Are you familiar with ourservices or products?" Stay alert to negative statements,especially evasive or hesitant replies. Watch carefully forfalse assumptions, untruths, misconceptions, inaccuraciesand potentially damaging rumors. Any of which will needto be corrected, because experience shows they usually leadto negative behaviors.

So, because the obvious objective here is to correct thosesame untruths, inaccuracies, misconceptions and falseassumptions, you now select the specific perception to bealtered, and that becomes your public relations goal.

But a PR goal without a strategy to show you how to getthere, is like a Mint Julep without the mint. That's why youmust select one of three strategies especially designed tocreate perception or opinion where there may be none, orchange existing perception, or reinforce it. The challengehere (a small one) is to insure that the goal and its strategymatch each other. You wouldn't want to select "changeexisting perception" when current perception is just rightsuggesting a "reinforce" strategy.

Now you must morph into a writer, if you are not alreadyendowed with that talent, and prepare a compellingmessage carefully designed to alter your key target audience'sperception, as called for by your public relations goal.

You may find that combining your corrective messagewith another newsworthy announcement of a new product,service or employee will lend credibility by not overempha- sizing the correction.

Your corrective message should contain several values,clarity for example. It must be clear about what perceptionneeds clarification or correction, and why. And your factsmust be truthful, of course. In addition, your position mustbe logically explained and believable if it is to hold theattention of members of that target audience, and actuallymove perception in your direction.

At last, the easy part - selecting the "beasts of burden" - the communications tactics you will harness to carry yourpersuasive new thoughts to the attention of that externalaudience.

The tactics list is a long one. It includes letters-to-the-editor,brochures, press releases and speeches. Or, you might selectothers such as radio and newspaper interviews, personalcontacts, facility tours or customer briefings. There aredozens awaiting your pleasure.

Sooner rather than later, your colleagues will ask you if anyprogress is being made. By which time you will already bestriving to answer that question by again monitoringperceptions among your target audience members. Usingquestions similar to those used during your earlier monitoringsession, you will now look sharply for indications that audienceperceptions are beginning to move in your direction.

Fortunately, you can always put the pedal to the metal byemploying additional communications tactics, AND byincreasing their frequencies.

But, as this article suggests, concentrating on tactics isimportant, but only at the right moment. What must comefirst is an aggressive public relations plan that (as, by now,you have no doubt surmised) targets the kind of keystakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achievingyour objectives.

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.

Robert A. Kelly © 2003.

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.

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