| |
| |
|
PR Information |
|
|
|
Same Old, Same Old PR Still Tops
Like human nature over time, the power of good public relations remains the same. Whether you are a manager working for a business, a non-profit or an association, at some point, you will want, or need to create outside stakeholder behavior change - the kind that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives. Fortunately, you can get that job done by doing something positive about the behaviors of those external audiences that MOST affect your organization. And do so by persuading those important outside folks to your way of thinking, and moving them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed. Fact is, your public relations push must involve more than special events, brochures and news releases if you really want to get your money's worth. The fundamental premise of public relations says as much when it highlights the reality that 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. That premise, that blueprint, really promises results. >From new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; rebounds in showroom visits, membership applications on the rise; community service and sponsorship opportunities, to capital givers or specifying sources looking your way; enhanced activist group relations, and expanded feedback channels; not to mention new thoughtleader and special event contacts. Even, conceivably, results like stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities; prospects starting to work with you; customers making repeat purchases, and improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies. That's a lot of results from even a high-impact blueprint. It almost goes without saying that your PR crew - agency or staff - must be committed to you as the senior project manager, to the PR blueprint and its implementation, starting with target audience perception monitoring. Be wary of PR people who describe themselves as "totally on board the program." That doesn't mean they've bought into the whole effort. Convince yourself that your team members honestly believe why it's SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Assure yourself that they buy the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit. Then, take time to go over the PR blueprint in detail with your PR team, especially the plan for monitoring and gathering 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 interchange? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures? It would be ideal, of course, to use professional survey counsel to handle the perception monitoring phases of your program, if the budget is available. But keep in mind that your PR people 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. At this juncture, you require a public relations goal to aim for as you address the bumps that showed up during your key audience perception monitoring. And that goal could be to straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or stop that potentially fatal rumor cold. But don't try it without a strategy to show you how to get there. There are only three strategic options available to you when it comes to handling a perception or opinion challenge. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. The wrong strategy pick will taste like hollandaise sauce on your cornflakes, so be certain the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You certainly don't want to select "change" when the facts dictate a "reinforce" strategy. The truth is that persuading an audience to your way of thinking is plain, hard work. Which is why your PR team must create just the right, corrective language. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual. Only in this way will you be able to correct a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the behaviors you are want. Get the input of your communications specialists as they review your message for impact and persuasiveness. Then, sharpen it one more time, and select the communications tactics most likely to carry your words to the attention of your target audience. 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. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members. Remember the old saw about the credibility of a message depending on its delivery method. You might consider unveiling it in presentations before smaller gatherings rather than using higher-profile tactics such as news releases.When the moment for doing a progress report arrives, itwill sound the alert for you and your PR team to get back out in the field and start work on a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You'll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. Only this time, you'll be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction. And for those among us who are just plain impatient, you can always move things along at a faster clip with more communications tactics and increased frequencies. The reason the same old, same old PR is still tops is that it continues to focus sharply on those key external audiences that most affect your organization, and you as a manager. And it does something positive about them by persuading those key folks to your way of thinking, and moving them to take actions that help you achieve your managerial objectives. end Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net. Word count is 1155 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. Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com
MORE RESOURCES:
pr - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Managers: A Key to Your Survival Most business, non-profit and association managers live to tell about it only IF they achieve their operating objectives. Very little wriggle room there. Do-It-Yourself PR: An Accident Waiting to Happen Early in my career as a public relations consultant, I remember standing in a group of people at a business function and listening to one man's tale of woe. It seems the founder and president of a small and growing business was bewildered about his lack of media attention. Managers, Which PR Is Right For You? An effort built around a string of print and broadcast exposures? Or, a public relations initiative that delivers results far beyond simple publicity tactics. Namely, real behavior change among your most important outside audiences leading directly to reaching your objectives. PR Essential to Your Success Whether you are a business, non-profit or association manager, your success will depend, to a large degree, on how well you positively impact the behaviors of those outside audiences that most affect your operation.You need to create external stakeholder behavior change - the kind that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives. Publicity From Thin Air In an ideal world, your business would be overflowing withnewsworthy stories, and the media would be waiting with batedbreath for your next press release, ready to give you front pagecoverage. In the real world, however, it's not always so easy to generatereal news. 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. Best Approach For Free Advertisement Product/service publicity is the superhighway to business success everyone dreams. Then imagine having your product/service written on newspapers, trade publications, aired on radio and viewed on television absolutely for free!!! That's going to skyrocket your profit target only if you know how to use the best method of getting free publicity. Media Releases - Helping Grow Your Business Business people often spend time and money trying to find new ways to stand out from the crowd or craving recognition and exposure for their organisation and its achievements.Communicating with your customers and stakeholders has become more demanding, complex and pressure-driven. 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. Media Training: Three Reasons to (Almost) Always Stay On-The-Record The words are pop culture heroes.Movies such as "The Insider," books like "All The President's Men" and television series including "The West Wing" have immortalized them. Why Public Relations Doesnt Just Happen Public relations is a very important part of the marketing mix. A successful PR campaign provides third-party endorsement of products or services which is something no other marketing element can deliver. PR: Heres All You Need to Know Above all, you need to know that the right PR can alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors.Especially when you create external stakeholder behavior change, the kind that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives. PR: Advice You Didnt Ask For Although, as a business, non-profit or association manager, you may be glad this came your way.Especially if your current public relations effort is delivering more publicity plugs than real behavior change among your most important outside audiences. The Increasing Power Of Publicity - And How It Can Benefit Your Business The call came into my office and the voice on the other end was very energetic, almost giddy: "I have finalized my marketing budget and need your help launching an advertising campaign for my new product," he breathed. "Congratulations," I replied, "but before we implement an ad campaign, I want to make sure you have explored potential PUBLICITY opportunities that could generate some cost-efficient media exposure first. 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. 10 Tips to Give Your Press Release The Edge It Needs to Make the News Writing a press (or media) release is quite an art (and a science) but don't let that scare you. Here are 10 tips to point you in the right direction. Photographs - Ten Tips For Getting Good Shots Photographs are essential for getting good publicity in the print media, especially magazines, newspapers, internal newsletters and even websites. Taking effective photographs often requires patience and practice but is a valuable skill to acquire. Time Your News Release For Maximum Publicity "Cindy, where's that story? I need it yesterday!""Coming right up, boss. I'll have it to you soon," Cindy shouted back. The Non-business Business Think for a moment! If you were to do a business, profession or a job that you loved, something that was a passion, you considered worth doing, one that gave you joy; would you ever think early retirement or rush home early from work? 'Doubtful' is a certainty, to say the least!A few years ago, I perchance drifted across a book titled 'To Sail Beyond the Sunset' in which Robert Heinlein's character, Jubal Harshaw, said something that left a lasting impression on me, and ergo, naturally, on the way I look at life. Jubal says "Happiness lies in being privileged to work hard for long hours in doing whatever you think is worth doing. Media Exposure Validates And Legitimizes Your Business Although repetition is extremely important, there are times when advertising can help bring you a fast response.If you're having a fire sale, you want to advertise.
|
| Article List | Index | Site Map |
|
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved. |
