Managers Need Basic PR

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Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

Managers Need Basic PR

True, because department, division or subsidiary managers
for a business, non-profit or association really DO need a
dynamic yet workable blueprint for reaching those key
outside groups of people who have a big say about how
successful those managers are going to be.

Unfortunately, a primary emphasis on communications
tactics does not take the place of a well thought-out public
relations plan for persuading your most important external
audiences to your way of thinking, then moving them to
take actions that lead to your success.

For example, a basic public relations blueprint like this
one: 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.

Save the communications tactics for later when you need
something to carry your message to the right external
audience.

For now, think about an impactful public relations plan that
can deliver the behavior results you want. I’m thinking of
behaviors that produce real increases in capital gifts, new
inquiries concerning joint ventures or strategic alliances,
new waves of prospects or, especially, repeat purchases.

First step on this journey is one of discovery – just how do
those key, outside audiences perceive your operation? This
is vital, of course, because perceptions often morph into
hurtful behaviors. Which suggests that you and the PR team
assigned to you begin by interacting with members of those
audiences, then prioritize them according to the impacts on
your unit.

Here, you have a choice: you and your PR team can personally
handle the perception monitoring and data gathering for your
target audience because your PR folks are already in the
perception and behavior business. Or, a large budget permitting,
you can retain the services of a professional survey firm to do
the job.

Once you decide who monitors and gathers the perception data,
you need to ask the right questions of your audience members.
“How much do you know about us, if anything? Do you have an
opinion about our services or people. Have you ever had a
problem with our operation?”

Stay on the lookout for negative responses such as misconcep-
tions, rumors and false assumptions. And especially for inaccur-
acies that could do damage because of the hurtful behaviors
they can produce.

Now, with such perception data in hand, you’re ready to set
your public relations goal. And this can be as direct as “clear
up that misconception, neutralize the rumor, or fix that
inaccuracy.”

Reaching that goal, however, requires just the right strategy.
Since this is a matter of perception/opinion, you have only
three choices: change existing perception, create it where none
exists, or reinforce that existing opinion/perception.

Now, tap your best writer because you need to prepare a
message effective enough to alter negative perceptions among
members of your target audience. The message should be
multifaceted if it is to do the job. It must be clearly written and
fact-based as well as believable and thus, persuasive. Hopefully,
it also will be compelling in its tone.

The challenge of delivering your message to the right ears and
eyes falls to your communications tactics, and there are a ton
of them. Everything from electronic magazines, consumer
presentations, speeches and press releases to media interviews,
newsletters, brochures and personal contacts. But make sure
that each tactic you choose displays a track record of reaching
folks similar to those you are trying to reach.

How will you know when you’re making progress? By going
back to the field and re-monitoring the perceptions of members
of that target audience. But there’s a new wrinkle the second
time around. Your antennae will be up to capture signs of change
in the offending perception – has that untruth, false assumption,
hurtful misconception or damaging rumor been adequately
addressed by your message and communications tactics? In other
words, is perception among members of your target audience
moving in your direction, thus signaling success?

Luckily, you can always speed up the process with additional communications tactics, and by increasing their frequencies.

By this point, what you will have done, of course, is put in
place precisely the well thought-out public relations plan you
need to persuade your most important external audiences to
your way of thinking, then move them to take actions that
lead to your success as a manager.

end