| |
| |
|
PR Information |
|
|
|
PR: Am I Getting a Good Deal?
You are getting a good deal when you accept the fact that the right PR really CAN alter individual perception and lead to the changed behaviors you need. Especially when you recognize that people really DO act upon their perceptions of the facts they hear about your operations, and about you as a manager. Meaning you have little choice but to deal promptly and effectively with those perceptions by reaching and moving those key external audiences of yours to actions you desire. Thus, you are certainly getting a good deal when your business, non-profit or association PR investment creates behavior change among those important outside audiences that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives. However, you'll be able to accomplish this only after persuading those key outside folks to your way of thinking, then moving them to take actions that allow your department, division or subsidiary to succeed. Obviously, these managers are doing something positive about the behaviors of those important outside audiences of theirs that MOST affect their operations. Underlying such efforts is the fundamental premise of public relations: 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. Public relations helps business, non-profit and association managers achieve their managerial objectives with outcomes like these. New proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; rebounds in showroom visits; customers making repeat purchases; stronger relationships with educational, labor, financial and healthcare interests; enhanced activist group relations; new membership applications; capital givers and specifying sources looking their way, as well as improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies; new thoughtleader and special event contacts; and expanded feedback channels. Like most managers, you want your most important outside audiences to view your operations, products or services in the most positive light. So, you need to be certain that your PR staff accepts the fact that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit. Discuss with your PR folks how you will gather and monitor perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the how things went? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures? Yes, if necessary, the perception monitoring phases of your program can be assigned to professional survey people to handle, IF the budget is available. If that's not the case, you can depend on your own PR people who are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors. Obviously, problems that surfaced during your first perception monitoring session, will identify your public relations goal. Which should shoot to straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or do something about that wretched rumor. While you can't have a public relations goal without a strategy to tell you how to reach it, fact is, you have just three strategic choices when it comes to handling a perception or opinion challenge: create perception where there may be none, change the perception, or reinforce it. Of course, picking the wrong strategy will taste like seaweed on your popcorn, so be certain the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. For example, you don't want to select "change" when the facts dictate a "reinforce" strategy. At this point, because the structure of your corrective message is crucial, we start the search for words that compel and persuade. Above all, they must be believable AND clear and factual if they are to persuade an audience to your way of thinking. But a must if you are to correct a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the behaviors you desire. Take the time to review your message with the PR staff for its impact and persuasiveness. Here you get to pick those communications tactics most likely to attract the attention of your target audience. Fortunately, you can pick from dozens of available techniques. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. Just be very sure that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members. Because the very credibility of your message can depend on the way you deliver it, you might introduce it to smaller gatherings rather than using higher-profile communications such as news releases or talk show appearances. In due course, you can expect you and your PR folks will move back to the field for a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Same questions used in the first benchmark session, will do the trick again. But you must stay alert for signs that your communications tactics have worked and that the negative perception is being altered the way you want it to be altered. If things slow down, you can always accelerate matters with a broader selection of communications tactics AND increased frequencies. Public relation's single most important contribution to a business, non-profit or association manager is building the resolve to do something positive about the behaviors of those important outside audiences that most affect their operations. And that can only be effective when you, the manager in charge, has accepted the fact that the right PR really can alter individual perception and lead to those changed behaviors you need. 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 © 2004. 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. Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com; bobkelly@TNI.net
MORE RESOURCES:
PR - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Publicity: Three Tips on Writing a Press Release Use journalistic styleReporters are busy. Just like you. Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Join Your Professional Organization to Get Free Publicity Unlike some professionals like lawyers and doctors, financial planners aren't required to be members of a professional association.However, if you want to take advantage of a great way to get free publicity, you marketing-minding financial professionals will join an association like the Financial Planning Association or the Society of Financial Service Professionals. When Should You Outsource Your PR Efforts? 1) Do you NEED solid, consistant media exposure.. Killing Them Softly The world has woken up to ethical issues in corporate governance & accounting practices. Corporate heads that were not guillotined were forced hang their heads in retrospective shame. How to Master Communication Even if you failed High School Grammar Does the thought of knowing your verbs from your adjective scare you? Can the word syntax send you running for cover? Or perhaps putting two words together in front of a crowd sends your body into complete melt down. If so, there is help for you. 7 Tips to Get More Mileage Out of Your Online or Offline Publicity You worked hard to get a story on your business in a popularwebsite or your local paper. Don't let your efforts ends there --here are seven tips to help you maximize your online and offlinepublicity: 1) Reprint, Reprint, Reprint! A favorable article on your company or products is marketing gold- it implies that the publication or website has given itsendorsement. Much Ado About A Lot! I say public relations can be a matter of survival for your organization.So, to me, making your business a success is a lot over which to raise much ado!Especially when the very people who hold your future in their hands - your key, target audiences - may harbor negative perceptions likely to hurt you by turning into negative behaviors. Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Focus on Main Points During an Interview You never want to inundate a reporter with information, but you don't want to be branded a one-trick pony either. That's why I recommend coming up with three key points for every interview you do. Public Relations Strategies: Focus PR Campaigns with Media Coverage Analysis Prior to launching a new public relations campaign, evaluate the media coverage you've gained and dig deep into the coverage your competition has received.One of the first steps in defining a public relations strategy is to understand how you and your competition stack up in terms of media coverage. PR Going According to Plan? Think carefully! You're a department, division or subsidiary manager for a business, non-profit or association and you really need to achieve your operating objectives.But even a yes response to the headline above leaves the really big question unanswered - does your current public relations plan help persuade your most important outside audiences to your way of thinking, then move them to take actions that lead to your success?If the answer to that question is uncertain or even no, change is in order. PR Failure Defined I define public relations failure this way:key audience perceptions are not monitoreda realistic, corrective goal is not setan improper, or no real strategy is selecteda persuasive, compelling message is not preparedcommunications tactics are selected mostly by hunchand no follow-through perception monitoring is done to determine progress.Failure insured! Similar, in fact, to the artillery commander who tells his gunners to point their cannons in any direction and fire them when they feel like it!No plan, no results!Why not deal this way with those external target audiences whose behaviors really have an impact on your organization?Who are they? List them in order of their impact on your operation. Ten Media Crisis Tips No comment. These are probably the two most damaging words in the English language to the reputation of a professional, business or organization. The Art Of Persuasive Pitching Media placement is an art. Practicing it often requires as much attention to approach and style as it does to the focus of your story. How To Get FREE Publicity Whenever You Want ! What you are about to read is a step by step guide to getting FREE publicity. Simply, this is advertising that costs nothing, yet can bring in regular and substantial orders for your products and services. TV Reporter Shares the Secrets to Getting Covered on the News Do you have a great idea for a story, but no clue how to get it in the news? Are you tired of pitching press releases the news media simply ignores?After twenty years of beating the street as a TV reporter, I have a scoop for you: the media needs good stories. But most stories are pitched so poorly, they are lost in the blizzard of faxes that blanket every newsroom. The Key to Great PR The Key to Great PR is PerseveranceBy Paula Gardner of Do Your Own PRI regularly seem to come across businesses that have pinned their hopes on one press release. They tell me how they sent it out with excitement in the pits of their stomachs and then felt the hard cold flop of disappointment when they didn't get an army of journalists on the phone the very next day. Credibility Lost or Gained, Are you Prepared? If a reporter approached you about an interview, would you know what to say do or even how to dress for one? Would you know how to answer questions? Have you ever wondered what the secret of working effectively with the media is? Do you wonder how to increase or even have quality coverage?Quite often, what you don't know can hurt you.Most people have no idea on how to prepare for questions. The Only Way to Get Free Advertising? Receiving free advertising is the dream of most business people. If you've ever found yourself frosting at the mouth over how your competitor got interviewed on the news or how they are always highlighted in the local paper, then read on. Company Dress Codes for Small Business; Shorts and Pants Most small businesses have logo'ed shirts, usually polo shirts with logos, this is typical in American Business. But many small businesses either do not have a dress code for pants and shorts or they have one, but rarely enforce it. Perception Persuasion Behavior: PR at Work Managers - the business, non-profit and association sort - really need to get this down pat if they are to meet their managerial objectives.They need to do something positive about the behaviors of those important external audiences of theirs that most affect their operation.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
