Dont Waste Money on Public Relations

Demand that it pull its own weight in your boat by working to create, change or reinforce how your organization is perceived by those vital, external audiences, those groups of people who REALLY affect your business the most.

This is key to your success because, like it or not, people take action based on the facts they see before them. And that can create behaviors that impact your business, sometimes negatively.

Why take any chances? What you need to do is take steps to create, change or reinforce that key audience's opinion by reaching them, persuading them and moving them to take the actions you desire

Does it work every time? No.

Is it easy? No.

Is it necessary? Yes.

I recommend working with a local public relations specialist because your work day probably leaves little time for this activity, and you may have minimal experience to bring to the party.

So, before hiring anyone, try out this notion on him or her.

What we know is that people will act on their own perception of the facts before them. And we know that those perceptions will lead to predictable behaviors, but about which something can be done. Then, when we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action those folks whose behaviors affect your business, the public relations effort is a success.

If you're met with the equivalent of a blank stare, look elsewhere.

Once you find a compatible public relations person, let's roll! For openers, you'll earn his or her enduring support when you commit to take action when your information gathering turns up troubling perceptions among those target audiences.

First, try to be a regular speaker in your marketing area, an interviewee for radio and newspapers, a sponsor of special events and an active member of local business and fraternal clubs. You put "money in the good will bank" when you do this, against the day trouble breaks out.

Start by staying in touch with groups of people whose actions help or hinder your operations. What do they believe about your products and services and your organization itself? Stay alert to potential problems. This is the fact finding, information gathering phase.

Then list your key audiences. But, at first, just the ones whose actions REALLY concern you. Begin interacting with them. They can include stakeholders like customers, employees, prospects, media, community residents, local government agencies and many others.

Make a promise to yourself to take the following actions when you discover a troubling perception.

First, set down your public relations goal. Examples: neutralize that negative rumor; pacify that activist group; restore the faith of that group of former customers, or reinforce your prospects' interest in your product or service.

In any case, left unattended, each can hurt your business.

Next, HOW will you approach the perception problem? In other words, what is your strategy?

We know there are just three ways to deal with such an opinion problem. Create new opinion, change existing opinion, or reinforce it.

Decide which it is, and proceed. But work closely with your public relations advisor by preparing persuasive messages carefully and creditably designed to counter the misconception you have uncovered. Try out the messages on a few outsiders to see just how persuasive they really are.

Now, you must select the communications tactics - "beasts of burden," I call them - to carry your persuasive message to the eyes and ears of that crucially important target audience.

You have a huge choice of such communications tactics ranging from emails, press releases, media interviews and newsletters to personal meetings, speeches, open houses and dozens of others.

But your job is still not completed. You must continue to monitor members of your target audience to measure not only awareness of your message, but how well is it being received, and even did it get there in the first place?

Then, if necessary, adjust your message content and the communications tactics.

To recap, until something better comes along, we have little choice but to track perceptions among key audiences the best way we can. Then, create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action those people whose behaviors effect the organization.

Adopting this kind of sequence puts the odds in your favor that the money you spend on public relations will not be wasted.

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

---

Publicity: Nailing a Media Interview, Part I

The most important thing to remember for any interview: stay... Read More

Are You Dissing Public Relations

If you leave a star player sitting on the bench,... Read More

A Well-Oiled Strategy Machine

Yes, that's what public relations really is when it tracks... Read More

How To Write A Press Release: The Seven Deadly Sins And How To Avoid Them

How to write a press release that generates free publicity... Read More

Getting Articles Published - Eight Steps for Trade Publications

Trade publications present an excellent opportunity for organisations to gain... Read More

How To Share Your Success Story Without Sounding Like You Are Bragging

A great way to celebrate your achievements and capitalize on... Read More

What Some Pros Know About PR

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

Why Do You Want PR?

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

The Key to Great PR

The Key to Great PR is PerseveranceBy Paula Gardner of... Read More

Are You Newsworthy?

Non-news professionals often have a hard time understanding why their... Read More

Managers Need Basic PR

True, because department, division or subsidiary managers for a business,... Read More

How to Keep PR Working for You

Managers in the non-profit, association and business worlds need to... Read More

Life After Press Release Distribution?

A few weeks ago I was participating on an on-line... Read More

How Managers Hit PR Paydirt

As a business, non-profit or association manager, you'll know it's... Read More

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Focus on Main Points During an Interview

You never want to inundate a reporter with information, but... Read More

Creating Event Magic through Planned Video Production

Once upon a time, there was a young, stressed out... Read More

Media Release Headlines - Ten Tips to Get Media Attention

So you have spent hours and hours writing, shaping and... Read More

The Press Release Method to Get Great Publicity

If you have had any experience in public relations or... Read More

A PR Question For Chinese Managers

As the practice of public relations in China continues to... Read More

Managers: Super-Charge Your PR

Ain't a gonna happen unless business, non-profit and association managers,... Read More

How Managers Hurt Their PR Results

Business, non-profit or association managers hurt their own public relations... Read More

4th Quarter 2003 Publicity = 1st Quarter 2004 Prosperity

As the year starts to wind down, many businesses and... 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

Making Great Announcements

When do you use the newspaper for publishing announcements for... 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 Where it Matters Most

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

Which PR? Judge for Yourself

You are a senior business, non-profit or association manager. So,... Read More

Tactics Vs. Endgame - Endgame Wins

It took me a while to see just HOW crucial... Read More

How To Get Radio-Active PR For Your Non-Profit Cause-Part One

"We are in the communications business, the business of conveying... Read More

Lets Blow The Lid Off Public Relations

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

Managers: PR More Than Tix and Plugs?

You bet! And in three ways vital to you as... Read More

Press Releases for Every Occasion

To many marketers, the press release is something of a... Read More

Killer Press Kits - Press Kits That Demand Attention

So, you've had your book published or you've gone the... Read More