How to Keep PR Working for You

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Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

How to Keep PR Working for You

Managers in the non-profit, association and business
worlds need to persuade outside audiences with the
greatest impact on their operations to their way of
thinking. And then move those external stakeholders
to take actions that help their departments, divisions
or subsidiaries succeed.

But that takes a very special plan, one that delivers
results far beyond simple publicity placements.

I’m talking about a blueprint, say, like this one that lets
you broaden your public relations field of fire, putting
its primary focus where it belongs, on your unit’s key
external stakeholder behaviors: “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.”

You’ll know such a blueprint is working when you
see results like capital givers or specifying sources
starting to look your way, customers making repeat
purchases; membership applications on the rise;
prospects beginning to do business with you; fresh
proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures
coming in; welcome bounces in show room visits;
community leaders beginning to seek you out; and
politicians and legislators starting to view you as a key
member of the business, non-profit or association
communities.

However, to get there you’ve got to be certain the
public relations people assigned to your unit buy into
your more aggressive public relations approach. In
other words, do they all accept the reality that it’s
crucially important to know how your outside audiences
see your operations, products or services? And do they
really subscribe to an even more important reality that
says perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that
can trouble your unit?

Start by involving your PR team in plans for monitoring
and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your
most important outside audiences. Questions like these:
how much do you know about our organization? Have
you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with
the interchange? How much do you know about our
services or products and employees? Have you
experienced problems with our people or procedures?

I mean, your PR people ARE in the perception and
behavior business to begin with, so they should be of
real use for this opinion monitoring project. Professional
survey firms are always available, but that can cost a
bundle. So, whether it’s your people or a survey firm
who asks the questions, the objective is to identify
untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors,
inaccuracies, and misconceptions .

With such answers gathered, you must decide which of
the negatives should be designated as your corrective
public relations goal – for example, clarify the
misconception, spike that rumor, correct the false
assumption or fix a bothersome inaccuracy.

In the same way garlic goes with lamb chops, the right PR
strategy tells you how to reach your goal. But just three
are available when it comes to matters of perception and
opinion -- change existing perception, create perception
where there may be none, or reinforce it. But be sure your
new strategy fits naturally with your new public relations
goal. If data gathered is satisfactory, you want the “reinforce
it” strategy, not “change it.”

When the moment comes to speak to your key stakeholder
audience and help persuade them to your way of thinking,
what will your message say?

Tap your best writer to produce the well-written corrective
language you need. Words that are not only compelling,
persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are
to move perception/opinion towards your point of view
and result in the behaviors you desire.

Here, fortunately, things gets easier as you select
communications tactics to carry your message to the
attention of your target audience. Be sure that the tactics
you select have a record of reaching people like your
audience members. You can pick from dozens that are
available ranging from speeches, facility tours, emails
and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews,
newsletters, personal meetings and so many others.

Because HOW you communicate can affect the credibility of
the message, you may wish to deliver it in small meetings
or presentations rather than through high-visibility media
announcements.

Those around you will soon be asking about progress. Which
will lead to a second perception monitoring session with
members of your external audience. Employing many of the
same questions used in the first benchmark session, you will
now be watching carefully for signs that the offending
perception is being altered in your direction.

In public relations, we’re lucky that action like this can be
accelerated by adding more communications tactics as well
as increasing their frequencies, if necessary.

And you’re lucky again that the folks you deal with behave
like everyone else – they act upon their perceptions of the facts
they hear about you and your operations. Which leaves you
little choice but to deal promptly and effectively with those
perceptions by doing what is necessary to reach and move
your key external audiences to action.

The workable public relations blueprint outlined above will,
in fact, keep your PR working well for you for a very simple
reason – (repeating for emphasis), it will help you persuade your
most important outside stakeholders to your way of thinking,
then move them to behave in a way that leads to the success
of your department, division or subsidiary.

end

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations 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. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com