| |
| |
|
PR Information |
|
|
|
Whats Important About PR?
Quite a bit, actually. Public relations helps business, non- profit and association managers achieve their managerial objectives with results 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; both new thoughtleader and special event contacts; and expanded feedback channels. Here are some of the public relations strategies they use. They accept the fact that the right PR really CAN alter individual perception and lead to the very changed behaviors they need. And they recognize that, because people DO act upon their perceptions of the facts they hear about these managers and their operations, they have little choice but to deal promptly and effectively with those perceptions by doing what is necessary to reach and move those key external audiences of theirs to actions they desire. What these business, non-profit and association managers are doing is taking steps to do something positive about the behaviors of those important outside audiences of theirs that MOST affect their operations. So they create the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving their managerial objectives. Interestingly, they'll be able to accomplish this when they persuade those key outside folks to their way of thinking, and then move them to take actions that allow their department, division or subsidiary to succeed. Undergirding the whole effort 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. There is no doubt that you want your most important outside audiences to perceive your operations, products or services in a positive light. So, reassure yourself that your PR staff accepts the basic truth that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit. Talk to your PR people regarding 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? Clearly, the perception monitoring phases of your program can be assigned to professional survey people to handle, IF the budget is available. If not, you are fortunate that 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. Problems that appeared during your key audience perception monitoring will be the basis for your public relations goal. No doubt it will shoot to straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or do something about that wretched rumor. You can't avoid the fact that every goal must have a strategy to show you how to get there. But 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. As luck would have it, selecting the wrong strategy will taste like sauteed bologna ends, 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. Here you'll be looking for words that are compelling, persuasive, believable AND clear and factual. Structuring your corrective message is crucial because persuading an audience to your way of thinking is awfully hard work. 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 go over your message with your PR folks for its impact and persuasiveness. Time to select the precise communications tactics most likely to attract the attention of your target audience. Happily, you can pick from dozens of available tactics. 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. It's a fact that your message credibility can depend on the way you deliver it. Try introducing it to smaller gatherings rather than using higher-profile communications such as news releases or talk show appearances. Because a progress report will be unavoidable, you can expect you and your PR folks to 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. By the way, you can always speed things up 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. 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:
Hey, Cleveland Browns: You've got mail! (And PR woes), writes ... - The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com
PR - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Want To Join the Bandwagon? Be Sure It Has Wheels! Here are two to-the-point questions recently posed by several association magazine publishers: "When is it time to launch an electronic newsletter?" and "Just because everyone's doing it, does that make it right for us?"These are just the types of questions that should be asked by associations and businesses seeking to maximize contact with members, prospects or current customers. The trick is to generate the processes that will allow you to arrive at the right answer for your circumstance. Which PR? Judge for Yourself You are a senior business, non-profit or association manager. So, chances are you call the shots for your department, division or subsidiary. Do I Really Need a Publicist? Are you hesitating about hiring a publicist or, if you have one, do you stop before writing that final zero on the monthly check, and think "I can do that myself." Suuure, you can!But just to be certain, take this little test. Franchise Work Vehicles Should Have a Flag on Them If you own a franchise and have company vehicles, be sure you have a flag on it. First let's discuss the American flag. The Press Release Method to Get Great Publicity If you have had any experience in public relations or marketing, you probably know how well press releases can work. There are many, many companies who have increased sales by 100%-300% in a matter of months simply through using press releases. The Most Important PR In America Just happens to be public relations activity that alters individual perceptions leading directly to changed behaviors. PR pulls that off by persuading a manager's key outside audiences with the greatest behavior impacts on the organization, to its way of thinking. Are You Sure You Know What Youre Doing? Because when it comes to public relations, non-believers can produce a double-bummer -- missed opportunity AND a ton of wasted money. It really is a shame because we do public relations to change the behaviors of certain groups of people important to the success of those very Doubting Thomases. How to Tap in to the Holiday Publicity Bonanza If your product or service can be given as a gift, a publicity windfall awaits at the end of the year - but you need to start working in June. Each December, media outlets cover the newest, the hottest and the most unusual Holiday gifts. Three Publicity Tips for Marketing-Minded Financial Planners Financial planners, the first thing to know about reporters is this: they are busy.Often, they are too busy to read a press release, too busy to wait for you to call back, too busy to find the "best" resource. Advertising Is Dead. Long Live PR Although I still believe there is a place for advertising as a brand maintenance or brand affirmation tool, I am convinced that to build a brand today, you need PR. At one time advertising did build brands. Some Cool P.R. Tips for These Dog Days of Summer Yup -- it's hot and sticky and you don't feel like doing much of anything -- let alone working on publicity for your business.But the summer months can actually be a great time to get publicity. Media Training: Stop Talking, Already! THE TWO MINUTES UNDERDOGEdward Everett was one of the most famous orators of his time. Standing before an audience of thousands in a Pennsylvania field on a cold winter's day in November 1863, he delivered one of the impassioned speeches that made him famous. Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Make Your Web Site a Resource for the Media Reporters, by nature, are curious people.If you can get them to come to your web site, they will probably poke around and spend a few minutes there, learning about your business and your capabilities. Just What Kind of PR Matters to You? Parties, videos, booklets and column plugs?Or public relations that does something positive and directly about those important outside audiences of yours whose behaviors most affect your operation?How happy are you -- as a business, non-profit or association manager -- when you see your PR folks futzing around with special events, brochures, press releases and TV talk show mentions?Especially at a time when you probably need to create the kind of key stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives?What it comes down to is this: are you simply looking for publicity, or do you want public relations that really CAN change individual perception and lead to equally changed stakeholder behaviors that help you get your PR money's worth?If that sounds more like it, here's the roadmap for you: 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. Doubt PRs Clout? Dont! Done right, it helps modify the behaviors of your most important target audiences, and that can spell S-U-R-V-I-V-A-L.I don't believe that's an overstatement because a customer who thinks badly of you and your business will not soon be darkening your threshold. PR Buyers Beware! It can bite you and waste your public relations budget when the program emphasizes communications tactics instead of how to make certain your key outside audiences understand who and what you are.Especially sad when tactics are placed in motion before you really know how your key target audience views your organization, and exactly at whom those tactics should be directed. Dont Expect to Bump Oprah From A Magazine Cover "I want a pony, a tree house and the fastest bike in the world.""I want the G. Slow Day? Create News Sometimes there seems to be no client news worthy of coverage. That's when the savvy PR pro digs deep into the old bag of tricks and pulls out one of these ideas to perk things up:* The List* The Index* The Hall of Fame. How to Get Some of Paris Hilton's TV Time When your book is mentioned on television, sales go up. Immediately people start looking in book stores and on the internet to find out how to buy it. Using Media and PR to Your Advantage. Lights..
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
