A Company That Doesnt Need Public Relations?

Really? You mean there are NO perceptions and behaviors peculiar to that company's outside audiences that would help or hinder it in the pursuit of its objectives?

Wow! I need to know more about a company that can ignore what its key external publics perceive about the company AND how they behave. I need to know how such a company can disregard serious negative behaviors by people who make up an influential external audience, and still reach its business objectives!

In fact, it would have to be a miracle! I don't buy it because it defies logic!

The business world doesn't believe that's possible either because it needs public relations big time, and they show it every day.

How? By staying in touch with their prime external publics and carefully monitoring their perceptions about the company, their feelings about any current topic at issue, AND the behaviors that inevitably follow.

Possibly there is an angle here for your business.

Now, with what has been learned about that audience's feelings and beliefs, the public relations goal, corrective if needed - for example, a specific behavior change -- can be established.

Which then requires that a strategy be identified. There are just three choices here, create opinion where none exists, change existing opinion, or reinforce it.

It's a logical sequence. With the strategy now set, we need persuasive messages with a good chance of moving perceptions (and thus behaviors) in the organization's direction. And we make sure the messages talk not only to the current topic at issue, but any misconceptions encountered during our information gathering, and to any problems that might be brewing.

What will we do with our new messages? We'll carry them to the attention of our priority audience. We'll use communications tactics that are credible in the eyes of the receiver, effective in reaching him or her. We'll also want tactics that stand a good chance of moving opinion in that target audience, on the topic at issue, in the direction of the industry's position..

Fortunately, there are dozens of communications tactics to choose from: newsworthy announcements, letters-to-the-editor, news releases, radio and newspaper interviews, brochures, speeches and on and on.

At this point, we're back to the monitoring mode as we interact once again with members of the key target audience. With our communications tactics hammering away, we keep one eye peeled for signs of target audience opinion shifts in the industry's direction. The other eye, (and ears) stay alert for any references by print and broadcast media, or other local thoughtleaders, to our carefully prepared messages.

Our bottom line is, are perceptions and behaviors within the target audience being modified? If not, adjustments to both message and communications tactics - often a big increase in, and wider selection of tactics -- must be made.

Gradually, you'll begin to notice changes in opinion starting to appear along with a growing receptiveness to those messages of yours. This is real progress.

Should you still need encouragement to hang in there with your brand new public relations program, consider this. A single issue - for example, a potentially dangerous, unattended perception among a key audience -- can spread like wildfire nudging any business closer to failure than success.

Now, don't you feel better about public relations?

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 © 2005.

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. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations.

Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com; bobkelly@TNI.net

---

Are You PR-Challenged?

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

PR and the Small Matter of Results

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

The Press Release is Dead (Now Will Somebody Please Tell the Clients?)

In competing for a piece of business not too long... Read More

Custom Reasons for Custom Publishing

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

PR: Advice You Didnt Ask For

Although, as a business, non-profit or association manager, you may... Read More

CD ROM Business Cards

Created properly, an extremely effective marketing tool.It's a great concept,... Read More

The Right Hook

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

What Does the Public Relations Client REALLY Want, and Why?

It's not unusual for clients of service providers to insist... Read More

Levines Laws For Pitching With Panache

Excerpted from "Selling Goodness- The Guerrilla PR Guide To Promoting... Read More

Why Not PR That Gets Real Results?

And not results you can measure only in terms of... Read More

Public Relations: Understanding Educated Gambling

As an entry level position to PR, I found myself... Read More

How to Write Press Releases That Work And Get Free Publicity

One study found that as many as 90% of the... Read More

Managers Who Leave PR to Others

You're a business, non-profit or association manager who needs to... Read More

Managers: Can We Agree on This?

Your public relations effort really should involve more than press... Read More

Lets Blow The Lid Off Public Relations

And show it for what it is - a humdinger... Read More

How to Form a Relationship with a Newspaper

How do you make a good relationship with a newspaper... Read More

Forget The Story Youre Promoting ? Heres What Journalists Really Want From PR People

Although it seems less common these days, there are still... Read More

Do I Really Need a Publicist?

Are you hesitating about hiring a publicist or, if you... Read More

Grow Your Financial Planning Practice by Taking Your Publicity National

Think that you aren't big enough for national media coverage?... Read More

How To Create A News Angle

Think of a triangle. On the left, imagine the story... Read More

Forget the Press Release - Heres How to Pitch Like Roger Clemens

Stripped down to its core, publicity is little more than... Read More

The Most Important PR In America

Just happens to be public relations activity that alters individual... Read More

Radio Interviews - How To Get Them!

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

How to Take Advantage of Public Relations

Decide once and for all to do something about those... Read More

Media Training: When Reporters Lie

I recently worked with a group dealing with an unusual... Read More

Competition in the News Creates Spin

In larger cities with many outlets they are competing for... Read More

Slow Day? Create News

Sometimes there seems to be no client news worthy of... Read More

So, How Do I Answer That?

How you answer questions depends on many factors. Example what... Read More

PR - More Than News Releases

Public relations and news releases are synonymous in the minds... Read More

Financial Planners Publicity and Marketing - Live By The Calendar

The media live by the calendar. Your story pitch might... Read More

Building The Best Network

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

Its Just Common Sense!

When a group of outsiders behaves in a way that... Read More

10 Tips for Tantalizing News Releases

Want to get radio interviews and coverage in print publications... Read More