PR: Ouch! Tells the Tale

Ever get the feeling that your public relations program isn't doing much about the behaviors of your important outside audiences? Those audiences whose actions have the greatest impacts on your business?

Chances are your PR effort is focused primarily on communi- cations tactics and not on the process needed to really move those key audience perceptions, and thus behaviors in your direction.

Which means you've missed out on the sweet spot of public relations.

Ouch!

That sweet spot can be summed up in just two sentences:

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 those people whose behaviors affect the organization, the public relations mission is accomplished.

Now there's nothing wrong with communications tactics. They are necessary "beasts of burden" that fit in nicely at the proper time, as you will shortly note.

So, if you believe it finally may be time to utilize that PR sweet spot, you could start this way.

Just who are your most important outside audiences? Customers and prospects, of course. But what about employees, minorities, residents, political and labor union leaders, the trade and business communities, among others?

Rank them in order of importance to your operation and let's work on your #1 external target audience.

Nothing can happen until you know what members of that audience think about your organization. And that means interacting with them while asking lots of probing questions and monitoring their perceptions. Have they heard about your company, its products or services? What do they think about them? Do you detect negativity, inaccuracies, misconceptions or even disturbing rumors?

With that kind of information, you're ready to set down your corrective public relations goal. Examples might be to counter that rumor with the truth, or correct an inaccurate belief, or clarify a hurtful misconception.

Now, you need the right strategy, one that gets you from here to your goal. Happily, there are only three strategies you can use in dealing with an opinion challenge like this: create perception (opinion) where there may be none, change existing perception, or reinforce it. Your goal will lead you to the correct strategy choice.

It's time to put on your writer's hat and prepare a really responsive message for delivery to the target audience. Above all, you must be convincing when you state that the unfortunate misconception, inaccuracy or rumor is untrue, and then lay out that truth creditably. Strive for clarity, persuasiveness, believability and, if at all possible, a compelling tone.

Your "beasts of burden" are standing by patiently ready to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. Because there are so many such tactics, you must choose carefully, and check just as carefully that each tactic has a proven record for reaching people like those who make up your target audience. Tactics range from radio and newspaper interviews, newsletters and press releases to emails, op-eds, speeches and many, many others.

What about progress? Are you making any? Best way to find out is to re-monitor perceptions/opinion in that target audience now that your communications tactics have been underway for six to eight weeks. Interact again with target audience members using the same questions you used the first time around. What you want to see are perceptions beginning to reflect the corrections in the message carried by your communications tactics. In other words, you are looking for opinion/perceptions that have been altered in your direction.

Talk about early-warning systems! When you pay attention regularly to your most important external audiences, you will be continuously aware that certain behaviors may be getting ready to exert negative pressure on your business. Which gives you time to spersuade the stakeholders who make up that target audience to your way of thinking, thus moving them to take actions that lead to the success of your organization.

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.

Robert A. Kelly © 2003.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks about the fundamental premise of public relations. 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.

---

Why Not Juice-Up Your PR?

Say, from tactics like special events, brochures and press releases... Read More

Sending Samples With Your Press Release-- should you or shouldnt you? Heres a guide?

When you should send samples with your press release:1) When... Read More

PR: Your 500 Pound Gorilla

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

Making Your Own News

Getting a press release published in a newspaper or magazines... Read More

What Some Pros Know About PR

They know they had better do something positive about those... Read More

Using Media and PR to Your Advantage.

Lights...camera...ACTION.That's what often happens when people think of using media... Read More

Make Front Page News By NOT Inviting The Media

Not a single reporter showed up at our news event.... Read More

How to Master Communication Even if you failed High School Grammar

Does the thought of knowing your verbs from your adjective... Read More

What Is Best Practice Public Relations?

Why, public relations that stays true to its fundamental premise,... Read More

Dont Use PR

?lose the confidence of your key target audiences? discourage them... Read More

The Ten Ps of PR

Everyone is talking about the Ps of successful marketing, so... Read More

PR Works! 15 Ways To Make Your Press Release Stand Out From the Crowd

Do editors of newspapers, magazines and online news sites really... Read More

Public Relations Primer Part III: 10 Donts

There are all kinds of smart moves professionals can make... Read More

Publicity: Five Tips for Calling a Reporter

Always ask, "Is now a good time?"Deadlines in journalism are... Read More

PR: The Thrill of a Good Idea

The notion that a business, non-profit or association manager can... Read More

The Non-business Business

Think for a moment! If you were to do a... Read More

How to Get a Story About You or Your Business in USA Today

I am often asked by clients to target USA Today... Read More

What is News?

What may be the more appropriate question is: What makes... Read More

Foolproof Publicity for Marketing-Minded Financial Planners

They'd hate to admit it, but the media is pretty... Read More

How PR Makes a Managers Life Easier

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

PR: Ouch! Tells the Tale

Ever get the feeling that your public relations program isn't... Read More

How To Get Radio-Active PR For Your Non-Profit Cause: Part Two of Three

FIVE WAYS TO GET ON THE RADIOHere are five basic... Read More

The 7 Deadly Sins of Press Releases

A press release is often your only chance to make... Read More

What People Believe Can Bring You Success

Just think about it.If I come to believe that you... Read More

Imagine PR Like This Helping You

As the kids say, how cool is this?You're a business,... Read More

Managers: Are You PR-Fit?

Can you honestly say that your business, non-profit or association's... Read More

PR Buyers Beware!

It can bite you and waste your public relations budget... Read More

The Right Hook

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

Can Your PR Game Plan be Salvaged?

If, as is often the case, you are preoccupied with... Read More

How To Use PR To Build Your Business

Everyone knows the value of free publicity. And given the... Read More

What not to wear when doing a TV Interview

? Don't wear all black. You'll look as though you're... Read More

All Youve Got To Lose Is Everything

Everything, that is, if you ignore those folks whose behaviors... Read More

Is PR Right for You? 6 Questions to Ask

When most people think about marketing, they think advertising. While... Read More