Get Outsiders on Your Side

Especially good advice for business, non-profit and association managers whose job success depends in large part on the behaviors of their key external audiences.

I refer to behaviors like inquiries on the increase, new waves of specialized employment applications, more and more followup purchases, new levels of membership queries, a substantial boost in capital donations, or more frequent component specifications by engineering firms.

If you are such a manager, you almost assuredly need help in achieving your unit's operating objectives. Which is why it's nice to hear that the public relations team assigned to your operation is responsible for providing a large portion of that help.

Two things need to happen to make that a reality. One, it requires more than your oversight. You must stay involved with your public relations folks at every major decision point.

And two, the entire effort must be based on more than a casual debate about which communications tactics should be used.

What is needed is your commitment to a fundamental premise that is the foundation on which your entire public relations effort will be based. A premise like this: 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.

With that established, we can get to work on the blueprint that will help persuade those important members of your key target audiences to your way of thinking. What you hope for then, is follow on stakeholder actions that result in your success as a business, non-profit or association manager.

Before taking any action steps, you need to know how members of your key target audiences perceive you. So, first, you and your PR team need to list those important outside audiences whose behaviors affect your unit the most. Then prioritize them so we can use the audience in first place on that list as our target audience for this article.

Instead of spending considerable money on professional survey work, you and your team can interact with members of your target audience and pose a number of questions designed to draw out any perception problems. "Do you know anything about us? Have you had any contacts with our people? Were they satisfactory? Do you have any problems with our services, products or people?"

As you interact with audience members, watch closely for evasive or hesitant responses to your questions. And be equally watchful for negative misconceptions, rumors, exaggerations, inaccuracies or untruths.

These data are grist for your mill, i.e., the information you need to establish a public relations goal that corrects the offending opinion/perception. Such a goal might look like these: spike that rumor, clarify that misconception, or correct that inaccuracy.

Now, you need a pathway leading to your public relations goal, and that means you must pick a strategy showing you how to get there. Luckily, there are just three strategies in matters of opinion and perception: create perception where there isn't any, change existing perception, or reinforce it. Just be certain that the strategy you select is a logical fit with the public relations goal you just established.

Now, what you say to members of your target audience must clearly address the offending perception gently but firmly. Your message must be believable, compelling and, at the same time, explain why the current perception is not merely untrue, but unfair. It is no easy job to alter what people believe, which is why writing such a message demands persuasive writing ability.

To maintain the credibility of the message, you may wish to piggy-back it on another announcement or presentation rather than using the higher-profile press release format.

Happily, when it comes to delivering your message to members of your target audience, you have multiple choices for your communications tactics. Everything from newsletters, bulletins and alerts, special events and speeches to print and broadcast interviews, press releases, consumer/member briefings and many more. Just be sure the tactics your use can demonstrate that they reach people similar to those who make up your target audience.

Before long, you, your PR team, and others in your unit will want to see some progress. Best (and most frugal) way to determine that is to return to perception monitoring in the field and ask members of your key target audience the same questions used in the earlier session.

Only this time, you'll be on alert for indications that the offending perceptions are changing as you planned, along with predictable follow on behaviors.

By the way, things can always move faster by adding other communications tactics, and using them on a more frequent basis.

Yes, for managers whose job success depends to a large degree on the behaviors of their key external audiences, a public relations problem-solving sequence like this one IS especially good advice!

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

---

Are You PR-Challenged?

You won't be if you accept a very simple premise.... Read More

Dont Put Up With Junk PR

In public relations, "junk" is more about attitude and lack... Read More

The Power of Radio - Tips for Great Radio Interviews

Many people are intimidated by radio interviews, whether live or... Read More

Meet The Media

Although media relations is not all there is to PR,... Read More

Writing a Press Release: How to Write Quotes

Ideally, you will have two types of quotes in your... Read More

Where is the Best PR Value?

Wherever the fundamental premise of public relations is practiced.Look at... Read More

Writing A Press Release

News releases (also called press releases) are an important part... Read More

Financial Planner Marketing - Problems Are Good (For Financial Planners Seeking Free Publicity)

A common complaint you'll hear is that the media is... Read More

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Dont Hold Back Information From the Media

Some financial planners think that they shouldn't share their top... Read More

The Press Pack Is Chasing You - Give Them Room

There's good news for public relations execs, marketing professionals and... Read More

Get PR Off the Bench

Something that results in your most important outside audiences doing... Read More

Do You Really Need PR?

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

PR for Brand New Managers

Just promoted to manager?Here's something you need to know.Whether you... Read More

Cultivating Positive Media Relationships

Some people think that publicity is all about paparazzi snapping... Read More

The Press Release: How to Get the Media to Pay Attention!

As many of you already know, promoting and marketing your... Read More

Radio Interviews - How To Get Them!

Getting on the radio can be a great tactical move... Read More

Making the News - Tips from A News Journalist

What makes a good media release and how do you... Read More

Say What?

As the comedian Steve Martin once said, "some people have... Read More

Does the PR Blueprint Work?

Managers, please take a minute and read two sentences: People... Read More

Ignore PR at Your Peril!

If you do, it means:you don't value tracking the perceptions... Read More

Custom Reasons for Custom Publishing

Once considered the stepchild of the publishing industry, custom publishing... Read More

Ten Media Crisis Tips

No comment. These are probably the two most damaging words... Read More

Media Training: How to Avoid Being Misquoted

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

PR and the Small Matter of Results

As a business, non-profit and association manager, how satisfied are... Read More

Publicity: The Right Way for Marketing-Minded Financial Planners to Follow Up with a Reporter

Let's say you've called a reporter with some ideas for... Read More

A Blueprint for Managing your PR

OK, as a manager, your goal is to show a... Read More

Why Do You Want PR?

To get someone's name in the newspaper or a product... Read More

When Managers Play the PR Card

The payoff for business, non-profit or association managers can be... Read More

Something New For Managers?

A new public relations blueprint could be a good idea... Read More

Oprah! How to Appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show

Do you dream of being on Oprah Winfrey's television show?... Read More

Public Relations Writing: Write Better Press Release Headlines With More Impact in Less Time

Public relations writing when writing press releases can be a... Read More

Its CNN! They Want To Talk To You!

Being invited to appear on radio and television used to... Read More

How PR Makes a Managers Life Easier

Things are pleasant for many business, non-profit or association managers... Read More