Move Key Audiences to Actions You Want

How?

Try a blueprint 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.

It seems worth the effort when you get results like fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; prospects starting to do business with you; welcome bounces in show room visits; membership applications on the rise; customers starting to make repeat purchases; community leaders beginning to seek you out; capital givers or specifying sources beginning to look your way, and even politicians and legislators starting to view you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities.

But winners don't pull it off by themselves. First, they find out who among their important outside audiences is behaving in ways that help or hinder the achievement of their objectives. Then they list them according to how severely their behaviors affect their organization.

Next they take steps to learn exactly how most members of their key outside audience think about their organization. And by the way, they make certain their entire PR team buys into the crucial importance of knowing for sure how their outside audiences perceive their operations, products or services. And they dig deep to ensure they REALLY accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can damage your operation.

When it's time to activate the PR blueprint, monitor and gather perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audience. Ask questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

Not so incidentally, your PR folks are already in the perception and behavior business, so they can be of real use for this opinion monitoring project. Professional survey firms can be brought in to handle the opinion monitoring chore, but that can be a costly undertaking. But whether it's your people or a survey firm who asks the questions, your objective is to identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, and misconceptions .

Here, ask yourself which of the above abberations is serious enough to become your corrective public relations goal? Clarify the misconception? Spike that rumor? Correct the false assumption? Fix those inaccuracies? Or yet another offensive perception that could lead to negative results?

Once you firmly set your public relations goal, you can assure you'll achieve it by picking the right strategy from the three choices available to you. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Especially important that your new strategy naturally compliments your new public relations goal.

How will your message deal with the offending perception when you address your key stakeholder audience to help persuade them to your way of thinking?

Identify your best writing talent to prepare the message because s/he must put together some very special, corrective language. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and lead to the behaviors you have in mind.

Now it's time for rapid fire communications tactics to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. Making certain that the tactics you select have a record of reaching folks like your audience members, you can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others.

Of course, how one communicates often affects the credibility of the message, so you may wish to deliver it in small getogethers like meetings and presentations rather than through a higher-profile media announcement.

It will soon be time to show signs of progress. And that will call for a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Employing many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session, you will now be watching carefully for signs that the offending perception is being altered in your direction. Of course you can always accelerate the program by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies.

At day's end, the managers to whom this is addressed, also know this essential truth: they need an aggressive blueprint such as this one that will deliver behavior change among their most important outside audiences leading directly to achieving their managerial objectives.

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. Word count is 900 including guidelines and resource box.

Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

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 communi- cations, 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. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net

Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

---

Total Recall: How to Remember Your Speech Without Memorizing

We all fear that moment. You look out on a... Read More

Wow! Is That ME? - Creating a Powerful One-Page Bio

First of all, what is a bio sheet and why... Read More

Give Your Audience Something to Talk About

There is an old saying: "The first thing to do... Read More

Move Key Audiences to Actions You Want

How?Try a blueprint like this: people act on their own... Read More

Public Speaking Training Tips For Better Business Presentations To Culturally Diverse Audiences

Audiences around the world are all different. Cultural, social and... Read More

10 Tips For Bringing Your Event To Life

Your job as an event planner doesn't stop with the... Read More

Data Visualization Flash Charts: Information in a Flash

Flash chart, flash map, flash graph may be mistaken for... Read More

Watch Out For Power Thieves

"I'm not an expert on this topic, but . .... Read More

Presentation Skill Mistakes

Last week my husband and I attended an awesome 4... Read More

Let Me Tell You a Little Story

Once upon a time there was a businessperson who had... Read More

Show the World Your Wares Easily and Inexpensively

You've spent a lot of time preparing your PowerPoint presentations... Read More

Seven Tips for Coping with Pre-Stage Jitters

Whether you need to address large groups or small, familiar... Read More

The Who, What, Where and When of Color In Your Documents

This article will help you to assess and maximise the... Read More

How to Give a Great Speech

As a former owner of a National Speakers Bureau, I... Read More

Develop The Winners Edge Through Conversational Hypnosis

Communication is vital for survival in an age of information... Read More

Close Deals in Record Time!

Remember back when the ability to create a slide show... Read More

Keeping Meetings Productive

KEEPING MEETINGS PRODUCTIVE: Whether participants approve or disapprove of an... Read More

Trade Show Victory!

So you're going to have a booth at a trade... Read More

Ancient PowerPoint Secrets: Ask Your Grandma!

Yes, there are ancient PowerPoint secrets...secrets your grandmother knows and... Read More

27 Tips For An Effective Presentation

So you're not a professional speaker. That's no excuse for... Read More

10 Profitable Tips for Creating Better Sales Presentations

No matter what your business is, you will enhance your... Read More

Guidelines for Rehearsal Criticism

It is both good planning and considerate to provide auditors... Read More

The Upside to an Auditory Rehearsal

Many experienced trainers feel that there is something lacking in... Read More

Create A Better Impresion With Your Emails

How do you come across in your emails?As I receive... Read More

Cell Phone Dos And Dont During A Meeting

What would we do without our cell phones? Wow, there's... Read More

Projector Hire - Choosing the Right One for Your Presentation

Calling a projector hire company will often get you confused... Read More

Beetle Bailey and Presentation Skills

In March 2002, the comic strip Beetle Bailey contained a... Read More

After the Speech

Usually the emphasis on making an effective speech is what... Read More

Problems with the Lecture Format

ALTERNATIVES TO THE LECTURE FORMAT: How often do you use... Read More

Fading into Sameness: How Too Many Slides Can Ruin Your Presentation

"I have a love/hate relationship with PowerPoint. In the right... Read More

Six Marketing Tips for Trade Show Success

A trade show is an ideal way of showcasing your... Read More

Don?t Give Presentations Or Speeches - Give Leadership Talks Instead

The CEO of a worldwide business asked me to help... Read More

Be Bold, Branded, and Bespoke - Your Customers Want You to Choose

I had been working on a logo idea for several... Read More