Now, you’re ready to select specific perception to be altered, and that becomes your public relations goal.

Of course a PR goal without a strategy to show you HOW to reach it, is like a cheeseburger without ketchup. That’s why you now pick one of three strategies designed to create perception or opinion where there may be none, or change existing perception, or reinforce it. The challenge here (a small one) is to insure that goal and its strategy match each other. You wouldn’t want to select “change existing perception” when current perception is just right suggesting a “reinforce” strategy.

Flexing your PR muscle, it’s your writer’s turn to prepare a compelling message carefully designed to alter your key target audience’s perception, as called for by your public relations goal.

Remember that it may be advisable to blend in your corrective message with a presentation, or a newsworthy announcement of a new product, service or employee, which may lend more credibility by not overemphasizing correction.

Clarity is watchword with regard to what perception needs clarification or correction, and why. Your facts must be truthful and your position must be logically explained and believable if it is to hold attention of members of that target audience, and actually move perception in your direction. In other words, your message must be compelling.

Now you select your communications tactics, “beasts of burden” you will harness to carry your persuasive new thoughts to attention of your outside target audience.

Your potential tactics list is ample, to say least. It includes letters-to-the-editor, brochures, press releases and speeches. Or, you might select radio and newspaper interviews, personal contacts, facility tours or customer briefings. There are scores available with only selection requirement being that those you choose have a record of reaching people just like your target audience members.

Before long, questions will be raised as to how much progress is being made. By which time, you’ll be hard at work remonitoring target audience member perceptions. Using questions similar to those used during your earlier monitoring session, you will now look carefully for indications that audience perceptions are beginning to move in direction you have in mind.

By adding more communications tactics, increasing their frequencies or fine tuning your message, you can always move things along at a faster clip.

Leaving tactics to do what they do best, carry messages, what should come first is an aggressive public relations plan like that outlined above that targets key stakeholder behavior change leading directly to achieving your department, division or subsidiary 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 communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com

3) For many this isn't an issue but for others it's huge. What is maximum amount (in dollars) that you can process each month? The standard is $20,000 to $25,000. Anything over that and merchant provider will shut down your account. This risk is too high for them especially for unproven, unsecured accounts.

4) They have option of shutting down your credit card processing. What is their criteria? What would cause them to shut down your account? Do they have to give you notice? Common sense says they must inform you before taking such as drastic step but I have seen it happen. Accounts have been closed and bank accounts frozen without a phone call, email or fax.

5) How are charge backs handled and what is fee for a charge back? Do you get chance to state your case or is money immediately refunded to customer without your approval? You will probably find that American Express and Discover will let you dispute charge back and work with customer. Visa/MasterCard don't always give you option.

6) Who is your point of contact? Get a name so you know who to go to with questions and issues after your application is approved. The person that processes your application through is not person that will have answers for you later on.

7) If you are using merchant services in conjunction with your web site, does merchant work with back-end of your site? Do you have to manually enter orders? For example, Yahoo!Stores only works with First Data linked merchant services. Innovative Merchant Services works with gateways such as Verisign and Authorize.net. QuickBooks and Chase Manhattan Merchant Services require manual entry but are processed online.

As far as merchant service providers go, I like Card Services International (http://www.cardservice.com) and Innovative Merchant Solutions (http://www.innovativemerchant.com). Both have good rates and have ecommerce as well as offline (traditional) processing options. In my opinion, it is better to go with a larger, well- established credit card merchant. Smaller firms have a tendency to have less customer service, more restrictions and less input from you.

Choose your merchant service provider wisely. Credit processing can have a huge impact on your bottom line.

Suzette Flemming is the CEO / CFO of Flemming Business Services. Providing financial direction to businesses since 1994. Learn how to save money and increase your bottom line by subscribing to our free newsletter ~ Make the Most of Your Money at www.FlemmingBusinessServices.com or give us a call with questions at (425) 432-5870.