Something New For Managers?

A new public relations blueprint could be a good idea if you're a business, non-profit or association manager who's not getting the important external audience behaviors you need to achieve your department, division or subsidiary objectives.

You know, behaviors like more people interested in your services or products, or more capital contributions coming in the door, or more corporate membership applications hitting your desk.

While those kinds of behaviors may warm the cockles of a manager's heart, they're not going to happen for you if you encourage, or allow the public relations team assigned to your unit to concentrate on simple tactics to the exclusion of a workable and comprehensive action blueprint.

In other words, a strategy, say, 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.

Now that's not only a blueprint, it's a foundation for a public relations effort that can persuade those important external stakeholders to your way of thinking. Then move them to take actions that lead to your success as a manager working for a business, non-profit or association.

Here's one way to do it. Decide that you're going to spend some quality time with your PR folks and tell them you really want to find out what those outside audiences, those with the behaviors that really impact your operation, actually think about you. Next, put your target audiences in priority order so we can get to work on your #1.

By the way, because your PR people could be surprised at this kind of public relations blueprint, you had best stay personally involved as the effort gets off the ground. Another good reason to do so, is that actually doing something about key audience behaviors can have a positive effect on your own organizational success.

Now, as you find out how your operation is perceived by these important outside audiences, you will need to make an immediate choice. Spend a large chunk of your budget for professional survey people to ask questions of members of your target audience, or ask your PR team, and other employees to do it.

Interacting with outside audience members lets your people ask questions like "How do you feel about us? How recently have you had contact with our personnel? Have you actually used our services or products? Do you have any questions or problems with regard to our organization?"

The data gathered by this exercise is the raw material you need to establish your public relations goal. For instance, correct that inaccuracy, clear up that misconception or spike that rumor.

To achieve such a public relations goal, you'll need the right strategy to show you how to do it. And the choice of strategies is not complex because there are just three available when you address matters of opinion and perception: change existing opinion, create perception where none exists, or reinforce an existing perception/opinion. Always be careful that your chosen strategy flows naturally from your public relations goal.

Now, what will you say to members of that key target audience that, hopefully, will alter the inaccurate perception you discovered? You want your message to be crystal-clear as it details why that perception is just not true. From such clarity should come believability and a compelling delivery that can lead to the target audience behaviors you need to meet your department, division or subsidiary objectives.

Actually delivering the message is the least complex step in the public relations problem solving sequence. Fortunately for you, there is a large collection of communications tactics available to you ranging from your own personal contacts, service or product promotions, news announcements and consumer briefings to newsletters, media interviews, emails and dozens of other tactics.

In due course, you, your team and other interested parties will want to assess how your public relations effort is faring at altering the offending perception. Best way to determine that is to duplicate your earlier benchmark monitoring session putting similar questions to the members of your target audience. The important difference now? You're watching carefully for signs that the troublesome perception is being altered in your direction.

That altered perception, leading inevitably to predictable behaviors, is the bottom line. And a strong indication that a workable department or division public relations blueprint can help a unit manager achieve his or her operating objectives.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association 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

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Media Training - Essentials for ALL Office Professionals

Often the first point of contact the media has with... Read More

Business - How to Build it Using the Media

Have you ever noticed that when someone is interviewed on... Read More

Building The Best Network

If you want to succeed, build a great team. A... Read More

Your Online Newsroom: How to Give Reporters a Tip

It's hard to imagine a reporter working today who doesn't... Read More

Same Time Next Year: Using Editorial Calendars as Part of your PR Efforts

It's the time of year when calendars crowd out the... Read More

Public Relations Success Starts Here

For discerning business, non-profit and association managers, PR success is... Read More

Can Small PR Firms Deliver Huge Results?

They can when they invest in the basics. The best... Read More

Promoting Your Website Through a Press Release

Have you ever gotten one of those letters from your... Read More

Perception Persuasion Behavior: PR at Work

Managers ? the business, non-profit and association sort ? really... Read More

Media Relations: Should You Pay For News Coverage, Part II

Last month, we told you about "pay for play," a... Read More

Attention PR Shoppers!

As a business, non-profit or association manager, what do you... Read More

How About MANAGING Your Own PR?

It's one thing for a senior manager to approve story... Read More

Culture As A Barrier To Communication

Each of us is exposed to people from other cultures... Read More

Permanent Press: Using Press Releases to Keep Your Company in the News

When is your best advertisement not an advertisement? When it's... Read More

Get Write To It

The toughest thing about writing a news release is getting... Read More

Media Training: How to Avoid Being Misquoted

I often begin my media training sessions by asking members... Read More

PRs Big Bang Theory

Lots of theories out there about public relations.Everything from "publicity's... Read More

Internet Etiquette for Business Success

You're trying to recruit a downline into your program, you've... Read More

How To Write A Press Release: The 10 Commandments Of A Great Lead Paragraph

How to write a press release is a major challenge... Read More

Do You Really Need PR?

The right kind of PR, that is, the kind that... Read More

Guerrilla PR- Chapter One

THE NATURE OF MEDIAThirty years ago, Marshall McCluhan, the father... Read More

The Right Hook

Have you fantasized about spreading word of your business on... Read More

Asian Media Relations: Increase Your Profile and Image in China

China's media is booming creating opportunities for marketing-savvy businesses. But... Read More

Managers and PR: One Thing Is Clear

As a business, non-profit or association manager, you have a... Read More

The Story The Media Really Wants

If you're like most of my clients, you're probably interested... Read More

PR Where it Matters Most

What's more crucial to the success of a business, non-profit... Read More

PR: Lets Cut to the Chase

If your key ? that's KEY ? outside audiences don't... Read More

Cross Cultural Communication & PR

The Public Relations (PR) industry is responsible for creating and... Read More

How PR Helps Managers Win

Anything that lets managers achieve their managerial objectives is a... Read More

Your Financial Planning Clients May Hold the Key to Free Publicity

Every reporter, from the cub at the small town paper... Read More

PR: Your 500 Pound Gorilla

What else, for goodness sake, could you as a business,... Read More

How to Write a Media Release That Wins You Coverage & Exposure

The Today show? The New York Times? Vanity Fair? What's... Read More

Grandma Says...

Southern grandmothers have often said, "there are only three... Read More