Which of above abberations is serious enough that it should become your corrective public relations goal? Clarify misconception? Spike that rumor? Correct false assumption? Fix those inaccuracies? Or yet another offensive perception that could lead to negative results?

With your public relations goal established, you can assure you’ll achieve it by picking right strategy from three choices available to you. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. But be sure your new strategy naturally compliments your new public relations goal.

So what will your message emphasize when you address your key stakeholder audience to help persuade them to your way of thinking?

Select your best writer to prepare message because s/he must put together some very special, corrective language. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and lead to behaviors you have in mind.

Happily, next step is easy. You select communications tactics to carry your message to attention of your target audience. Making certain that tactics you select have a record of reaching folks like your audience members, 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.

Keep in mind that HOW one communicates often affects credibility of message, so you may wish to deliver it in small getogethers like meetings and presentations rather than through a higher-profile media announcement.

You’ll soon feel pressure for signs of progress. And that will lead to a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Employing many of same questions used in first benchmark session, you will now be watching carefully for signs that offending perception is being altered in your direction. Remember that you can always accelerate program by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies.

This bears repeating – yes, fiercely combative business, non-profit and association managers use every PR weapon they can lay their hands on, and that includes strategic, rapid-fire print and broadcast tactics.

But those same competitive managers also know they need an aggressive blueprint such as this one that will deliver behavior change among their most important outside audiences leading directly to achieving their managerial objectives.

end

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to 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. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com

We are all just made up of energy, and we release and take on energy with every breath and thought. We must be very careful with whom we associate with and with whom we allow into our energy zone.

So word of caution: - - - - Do not allow anyone chance to steal your life force!

POSITIVE SELF TALK

The other very important distinction is being aware of my own "self talk".

The chatter in my own mind is even more important than what others say. Keep your thoughts positive. If you find yourself caught up in negative self-talk stop at once and change your internal chatter. You must be aware of times you aren't saying or thinking nice thoughts about yourself. You are listening and conditioning your hidden self-image whether or not you are aware of it.

If I ever catch myself talking negatively to myself I immediately change " mental tracks" and say something positive to myself. If something comes up over and over again, I know there's a deeper challenge I must address. I then go to work on reconditioning my mind with affirmations that are opposite to negative mental chatter.

For next seven days become very aware of people around you, and do not allow any negative energy around you.

Also, be in tune with mental chatter that goes on in your own head. Stop any negative dialogue that you catch yourself having, and replace it immediately with something positive!

As always, remember to...

Create Great Results!