PR Failure Defined

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your
ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would
be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net. Net word count is 745
including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2003.

PR Failure Defined

I define public relations failure this way:

0 key audience perceptions are not monitored
0 a realistic, corrective goal is not set
0 an improper, or no real strategy is selected
0 a persuasive, compelling message is not prepared
0 communications tactics are selected mostly by hunch
0 and no follow-through perception monitoring is done
to determine progress.

Failure insured! Similar, in fact, to the artillery commander
who tells his gunners to point their cannons in any direction
and fire them when they feel like it!

No plan, no results!

Why not deal this way with those external target audiences
whose behaviors really have an impact on your organization?

Who are they? List them in order of their impact on your
operation. And let’s concentrate here on #1.

What do you really know about how they perceive your
operation? This is vital, of course, because perceptions
almost always lead to predictable behaviors. That’s why
it’s so important that you get this step right.

Fact is, you must interact with members of this target
audience and question them carefully. What do they
think of you and your organization? Do you detect negative
undercurrents? Are you surprised by certain inaccuracies
or misconceptions? Has a rumor crept in to their
consciousness to do its dirty work?

The answers prepare you for establishing the corrective
public relations goal. For example, straighten out that wrong
impression. Or fix that misconception. Or correct that
unfortunate inaccuracy. Rumors, of course, need immediate
attention to neutralize them in the minds of target audience
members.

With your goal all set, what is your strategy for achieving it?
This one is a time-saver because there are only three
strategies designed to deal with this situation: create opinion
(perceptions) where none may exist; or change existing opinion;
or reinforce it. Your goal will point you toward the
proper choice.

Now here is the real challenge – preparing the message you
will send to members of your target audience.

To be persuasive, it must be believable, clearly presented
and compelling. Ideally it should deal with the most important
problem you wish to correct so as not to divide the reader’s
attention. For example, an inaccuracy, misconception or
damaging rumor. Of course, your message must use supporting
facts and figures that have been carefully checked for accuracy.

Recapping, you have now monitored and evaluated opinion
among your target audience to determine the extent of any
problems, you have set your corrective public relations goal
and strategy, and you have prepared an impactful and corrective
message.

How will you effectively deliver that message to members
of that important outside audience? The answer lies in
communications tactics, which some refer to as “beasts of
burden” because they will carry your message to the right
eyes and ears.

There are scores of tactics awaiting your pleasure. For
instance, you can use newsletters, special events, press
releases or open houses. You might also consider face-to-
face-meetings, radio and newspaper interviews, speeches
or emails. The key consideration is that a communications
tactic be targeted specifically at the members of your #1
external audience.

Sooner rather than later, you will wonder if your public
relations effort is making any progress towards your goal.

And that will require that you put on your opinion monitoring
hat and go talk to members of your target audience once again.

As them the same questions you used in your earlier
information gathering exercise. Only this time, stay alert
for answers that indicate perceptions are changing in your
direction. Of course, this means that, before long, behaviors
should be changing as well.

And that is the test for public relations success: perceptions
altered and behaviors modified as called for in your plan.

When all is said and done, what you will have is an important
outside audience more accurately informed about your
organization and, thus, more likely to behave in ways that
help you achieve your objectives.

end