Publicrelationistas?

“Publicrelationistas?” 

Is that what we are? Fanatic, over-the-top disciples of some wretched obsession? 

Well, maybe not fanatic, or even wretched or obsessive, but  certainly SOLD on the reality that people act on their own  perception of the facts before them, leading to predictable  behaviors. 

And equally sold on the next step too, create,  change or reinforce that perception/opinion by reaching,  persuading and moving-to-desired-action those people whose  behaviors affect the organization. 

Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay 

Why am I sold on what amounts to a fundamental premise  for public relations? Because it’s the best way to insure that  you, as a manager, get the key external audience behaviors you  need to help achieve your unit objectives.  

It also makes the proper execution of the public relations program very important to other managers like yourself in any  business, non-profit or association. 

Here’s one approach that can work just fine. 

Jot down your unit’s, or department’s, most important  audiences, then prioritize them as to the impacts they exert  on your operation. Let’s look at #1 on the list because, clearly, any organization, including yours, must stay in touch with its  most important external audiences in order to know how  it is perceived, remembering of course, that behaviors usually  follow perceptions. 

Now, you need to interact with members of your target  audiences, monitor what they think about you and ask lots  of questions. “What do you know about us? Have you had  any contact with us. Was it satisfactory?” and so on. Be  alert to an untruth, an inaccuracy, or a potentially damaging  rumor. 

The responses to your opinion monitoring form the basis for your public relations goal. In other words, the specific  perception to be altered, followed by the desired behavior  change. 

Obviously, the goal will seek corrective action. That is,  clear up a misconception, scotch a rumor, or correct an  inaccuracy. 

But a goal without a strategy is like a hot dog without a bun. 

We’re fortunate we have just three choices when it comes  to strategies to deal with opinion matters: we can create  perception where there isn’t any, change existing perception,  or reinforce it. But make sure the strategy you select flows  naturally from your newly-minted goal. 

Now, here’s where the art comes in. You have to write the  corrective message going to the attention of members of the  target audience. The satisfying part of this chore is the fact  that, done right, it will change opinion and, thus, behavior.  No small feat! 

The art lies in the writer’s ability to prepare a message that accomplishes that objective clearly and in a believable,  persuasive and compelling style. Not easy, but an absolute  must! 

How do you get that message “into the end zone?” That is,  before the eyes and into the ears of members of your target  audience? 

Good old “beasts of burden” communications tactics will  come through for you and carry your message to the attention  of your target audience members. And there are scores of  them ripe for the picking. 

You can choose from letters-to-the-editor, speeches and  news releases as well as consumer meetings, brochures,  radio interviews and many, many others. Just be careful  that the communications tactics you choose have a good  record for reaching folks like those in your target audience. 

The day will come when someone asks, “are we making any  progress with this PR effort?” A good and proper question,  the answer to which is available back out among the  members of your target audience. Assuming your budget  cannot accommodate pricey professional opinion surveys,  you and your colleagues can re-monitor perceptions among  audience members asking the same questions as before. 

The difference this time around is that you will be watching for  perceptions altered in your direction – perceptions changed  as a result of your corrective message and some aggressive  communications tactics. 

You can always increase the beat by adding a few more  communications tactics, and increasing their frequencies.  And be sure to re-vet the message itself for clarity and  actual impact. 

The payoff is clearcut – you get the key external audience  behaviors you need to help achieve your mission objectives. 

end 

Author:Robert A. Kelly

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