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Now, what happens to that goal? You select a strategy to get you where you want to be. The choices are few indeed when it comes to perception and opinion. You can create perception where there isn’t any, change existing perception, or reinforce it. That’s it. You should, however, match your strategy selection to your newly-established public relations goal.
Clearly,
most sensitive, even difficult step in this problem- solving sequence is message preparation. At ther same time, it’s your opportunity to write something that will change somebody’s opinion, and that is a really satisfying experience.
First, your message must stick to its knitting and not ramble. Address inaccuracy, misconception, untruth or rumor clearly and in a believable and as compelling a manner as possible. Remember what it must do if public relations program is to be successful – alter, change or reinforce what a lot of people believe. And that is a big job and a big responsibility.
If message is bullet, your “beasts of burden” are gun, means by which your communications tactics carry your message to eyes and ears of members of target audience.
And what a list of tactics offer themselves to you. Everything from open houses, feature articles, press releases and speeches to personal contacts, broadcast appearances, newspaper interviews and so many more.
Your measuring stick for each tactic is, does it have a proven track record for reaching people like those who make up your target audience?
So, you will get antsy and wonder if you’re making any headway with your new public relations program. Best way to tell is to monitor target audience perceptions all over again. Use questions similar to your first monitoring session.
Big difference this time, however. Now, you need to see indications that perceptions are being altered as a result of your corrective message.
If you want to speed things up, you can always add a few more tactics to mix, AND increase some of their frequencies. The message should also be re-evaluated for strength and persuasiveness of its underlying facts, as well as impact and clarity.
Yes, you may believe you “don’t need no stinking PR,” but there’s no denying that people in your area behave like everyone else – they take actions based on their perception of facts they hear about you and your operation. So, you must deal promptly and effectively with those perceptions by doing what is necessary to reach them.
And what that means is, in your own best interest, you must persuade many of your stakeholders to your way of thinking, thus moving them to take actions that lead to success of your organization.
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Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to general management personnel about the fundamental premise of public relations. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com
