Yes, your strategy now will show you how to get there. But remember that you have only three strategic choices when it comes to handling a perception or opinion challenge: create perception where there may be none, change perception, or reinforce it. As luck would have it, a bad strategy pick will taste like sauteed prunes, so be certain new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. For example, you don’t want to select “change” when facts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

Here you must persuade an audience to your way of thinking by creating just right, corrective language. Which is why we’re looking for words that are compelling, persuasive and believable AND clear and factual. This is a must if you are to straighten out a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, thus leading to behaviors you desire.

Now we pick out communications tactics most likely to carry your words to attention of your target audience. Get input from your communications specialists and review your message for impact and persuasiveness. There are dozens of available tactics ranging from speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. Just be sure that tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

Unfortunate but true, credibility of a message can depend on how it’s delivered. So you might think about introducing it to smaller gatherings rather than using higher-profile communications such as news releases or talk show appearances. When topic of a progress report is suggested, you know it’s time for you and your PR folks to return to field for a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. The same questions you used in first benchmark session will do nicely once again. But this time, you’ll be watching carefully for signs that your communications tactics have worked and that negative perception is being altered in your direction.

If patience seems in short supply, things can always be gunned with a broader selection of communications tactics AND increased frequencies.

High-octane PR firepower makes all difference once you decide to do something positive about behaviors of those important outside audiences of yours that most affect your operation.

You’ll do it by creating external stakeholder behavior change leading directly to achieving your managerial objectives. And by persuading those key outside folks to your way of thinking, thus moving them to take actions that allow your business, non-profit or association to succeed.

end

Bob Kelly counsels managers about using 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 Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com

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